Tribal Dance
by MaverickKayPrime
Summary: I look into his eyes. All I see is evil. Those red orbs of his send terror and fear down my spine. His arms, his hands, his body, have probably killed and destroyed so much. I detest evil. I abhor it. But I find myself being drawn to him. Even now, as our people find their mates, I just look into his eyes. I just stare at him. And he. He stares back.
1. The Starman

The Starman

The Master Emerald. A mystical rock it is. In many different ways, it works. It changes, it pulls, it works forces on our lives. Most don't even know it exists, despite the pivotal role it plays in the world. Many forces have attempted to use it. It's a vessel of infinite power, after all. For as long as the world has been alive, those echidna's have watched over it. Why? No one knows. They just do it. Maybe its a curse by the gods. Yes, they _must_ look after it. Or else.

Or else...

Or else...

Tikal...

She raised her head at the resonating sound of the green rock. It shined brightly in her eyes, blinding her briefly. Glaring down to the hard white stone floor, she found a puddle of her own drool. Bringing her arm across her mouth, she wiped the clear liquid substance from her cheek. Plopping onto her behind, she stretched out her arms and yawned. Her light blue eyes moved along the Master Emerald's body, taking in all the light it had. She found the warmth it was giving off to be lively. She smiled.

"Oh..." she suddenly whispered, rubbing her head, "I think I slept all day..."

She had. The night sky sparkled about, those white precious orbs called stars twinkling.

"Chaos..." she called, getting to her feet, "Chaos, you there?"

Those light blue eyes of hers trekked down the white stone pedestal floors, to see a shimmering blue puddle coming up the stairs. It made its way to her, before taking a form.

Chaos 0.

"Chaos," the orange echidna said, giving a smile, "how was your day?"

The liquid god made no noises, as his green orbs moved skyward. That slow motion made Tikal giggle, though she did not no why. Following his action, she too moved her eyes upward. Each star was so beautiful in their own right. Tikal always enjoyed the warmth they gave off, even in the cold night. They felt like souls, they did. Twinkling, bright, souls. For you see, each star is different, just like each soul. That's what Tikal always felt. The differences in life. The differences in us all.

Boy. If she kept thinking like that, she'd forget to go home this evening.

Her nose twitching, she once again gave off a waking yawn, just so she could jolt herself up. Unfortunately, the thought of her father made her less than happy. Still, she couldn't run away from her problems all night. She'd have to go home eventually.

Eventually...

Chaos' aquatic limb moved up. Thinking that the water god merely wanted to play some more, Tikal waved her hand. But as Chaos' green eyes moved to her, she realized he was motioning _toward_ something. Cocking her head in confusion, she lifted her eyesight up as well.

A star. One of them.

Was falling.

Tikal wasn't sure if she was actually seeing this or not. Her blue eyes seemed to see it, but her mind failed to process the image properly. A star. A shimmering bright star. Was falling from the air.

It fell, and fell, and fell some more, before it's shining body made its way in the sky. It approached the horizon with an increasing speed, the sparkles of its frame brightening up the night sky. She could have sworn she heard a few explosions ripple from the falling star, but she wasn't completely sure. The flaming falling object reached far beyond the neighboring mountain ridge before.

_Ka-booom_...

So silent was this explosion, yet so great it was. The sky grew bright thanks to the falling star, and the sight made Tikal look away in fear. Just as fast as it appeared, it faded away. The shining lights dimmed down after a while, and the night sky returned to its darkened atmosphere.

Tikal laid her opened hand above her heart. Her head moved slowly to the side as she pondered about the sight of the falling star. Chaos moved near her, as his liquid body made an oozing noise. She wondered herself if her godly buddy noticed it too, and so she stared at him. He nodded.

"Chaos," she said weakly, "Did you... see that?"

Slowly, up and down, his head moved. So, he did see it. Good, now Tikal had to convince herself if _she_ saw it. Stars don't fall out of the sky often, ya'know.

"Chief Pachacamac!" she heard a call, "Did you see that?"

It didn't take long for the walls to open.

She gazed along the hard white bridge, to see the doors to the Master Emerald Altar open. Growing fearful of the sight of the chief, the young echidna girl hid behind one of the Chaos Emerald columns. At the same time, Chaos transformed into a puddle, to join the many rings of water that circled the Master Emerald. It didn't take long for them to arrived.

Chief Pachacamac. The leader of the Knuckles Tribe. Such a burly fellow, he was. His fur a maroon color, while his muzzle was hidden beneath a great beard. Despite the fact that he was surrounded by echidna men much younger and stronger than him, he held a certain kind of aura around him that demanded respect. Maybe it was his height. He was a tall fellow, as he easily towered over his underlings. Or maybe, it was his staff. It was taller than him, as well as all the other echidnas around him, so it was pretty hard to miss. Regardless, the agde echidna looked like someone you don't mess with, and he was one.

Slowly, the echidna chief brought his heavy hand up to chin. Brushing the white furs on it apart, he glared off in the distance. If one paid close enough attention, then the image of rising smoke could be visible. It was an interesting sight indeed.

"It seems the sky has paid us a visit." Pachacamac stated, his hand falling, "And it doesn't seem so far off."

"What do we do?" one of his subordinates asked, causing him to grumble.

"Investigate it of course." his dark blue eyes moved down to those around him, "I hope you are ready for an impromptu walk."

Since none of them would dare speak back to the chief, none of them revealed their displeasure. Even if they had, Pachacamac would have surely cared less, as the sight of a falling star was really more important than his people's feelings. So, gazing beyond the Master Emerald Altar, he started walking. It didn't take long for the rest of his people to follow. Their footsteps shuffled over the grassy fields, before eventually disappearing in the hills over yonder.

The sight around the Master Emerald was silent for a while, before a footstep clanked against the white stones. Tikal gazed intensely at the image of the echidna men leaving. Surely, if she was anyone, the sight would put her heart to rest. A group of strong able-bodied men leaving to investigate some mysterious sight would put anyone's heart at ease. But Tikal was no ordinary person. She didn't trust the chief, or the men who he was leaving with. And for good reason.

"Oh, father," she whispered, "What are you doing?"

Her question went silent against the wind. Instead, a simple thought was placed in her mind.

Go...

But she wouldn't go. That was foolish. There was no evidence saying that a star had fallen. For all they knew, it could have been nothing but a rock, or maybe the Nocturnous Tribe was performing a ritual. Who knows? Well, whenever her father was put in the mix, she knew it would be bad. She knew she had to get there first. She just didn't trust the whole scenario.

"Chaos?" she called, nearing one of the water ponds around the Master Emerald Altar, "I... think I'm going to follow them."

It didn't take long for the water to bubble and ripple, eventually bringing the water god to life. His blue limbs crossed over one another, as those green eyes of his gazed deeply into her blue ones. If he could speak, then she was sure he was saying 'no'.

"I have to, Chaos," she said, turning away to face the mountain ridge, "My father is going."

Her ears twitched. Chaos started making a series of noises, causing her to return her gaze to him.

"I know, I know," she said, understanding his nonexistent words, "But I have to go." she looked back, "Besides, I'm lighter and quicker than that whole group of men. I'll arrive before they will, I bet you that."

Still, Chaos wasn't convinced. Moving his foot up, he stepped out of the pond to meet her. As his watery limb moved forth to touch her, she quickly stepped back.

"No, Chaos," she stated, waving her hands to and fro, "You need to stay, I promise I'll be fine!"

His head shook left and right, showing his displeasure.

"Chaos..." she grumbled, scolding tone in her voice, "Just stay here. I promise, everything'll be fine."

Slowly, he brought his hand back, returning it to his side. Clearly, he was unhappy, but he would never disobey Tikal's orders. So he turned away, facing the body of water he came from. A second later, he sank it, becoming one with the pond itself. Happy that the conversation was over, Tikal moved her eyes toward the hills. She could see the group of red that was her people nearing the mountain ridge. Funny. Until tonight, she never noticed just how close it was. Regardless, she ran off.

Just as she said, she was quick. Her light feet took her through the fields quickly, while also keeping her silent. Deciding it wouldn't be too smart to come in contact with her father, she took to a different path. She found it quite funny too, when she passed the group without much than a second thought. Training her blue eyes forward however, she returned her thoughts on the matter at hand. It was rare for her to venture this far out, but she remembered the path. Albeit, barely. Upon arriving the mountain ridge, she was surprised to see it was rockier than she remembered. A long time ago, there used to be a path that led up the mountainside. After a falling out with one of the neighboring tribes, however, her father had the pathway removed. So, right now, she was left to her own devices.

Good thing she's apart of the Knuckles Tribe then.

Tightening her hands into fists, she dove them knuckles first into the mountainside. Small indents were created thanks to the powerful force she applied. A second later, she dove one of her fists slightly higher, creating yet another indent. She did this again with her other hand, reaching her a few feet forward. Again, she did this, and she began repeating this tactic in quick intervals. With nothing but her fists, she climbed up the mountainside, and she did so without the slightest tinge of fear. To her and her people, this was natural.

It didn't take her long to meet the edge. Upon doing so, she broke out into exhausted grunts.

"Oh dear," she said through gasps, "Been a while..."

After a slow and deep breath however, she felt her energy returned. Now filled with vigor, she continued on her journey. A quick glance away revealed to her that the group her father was apart of had not yet arrived. Looking forward once more, showed her smoke. The very same smoke she saw earlier. For some reason, her heart starting racing. Laying her open hand upon her beating organ, she tried to soothe herself. It didn't work.

Nearing the edge of the cliff, she gazed down. The smoke was resonating from flames that danced on the side. The sight of fire made Tikal fret. Leaping down from the cliff, she landed near them. Her blue eyes gazed up, and she realized something. The dirt in this area had been uprooted, as if something fell here. And the 'something' was right before her.

A strange vessel, she could tell. It looked small, but it was bigger than her. If she could put her finger on it, she would say it appeared similar to a giant metal bird. Said bird's wings were all bent out of shape and dented, as well as ripped from its edges and singed. In fact, all of this metal bird was singed, dented, and bent. She continued to get closer, while being as silent as she could. More and more, she felt the fear within her increase, as the unknown grew closer and closer.

That's when she heard something. A voice. Said voice stopped her.

"G.U.N. Base... this is... Shadow... the... hedge...hog... Pro...to...type... was... a... no go... I... repeat... prototype was a no go..."

Who was that?

The thought ran through Tikal's mind over and over again. All of the bravado she had within her had already disappeared at the sound of the voice. It sounded so. Demented.

There was a clicking. Said clicking resonated from the metal bird. She stepped toward it slowly, coming near the backside of the fallen machine. She laid her hand on the steel hull. A stinging burning pain forced her to pull away however. The demented voice she heard had grown silent now. It was replaced by this weird noise that sounded like muffled screaming.

"Dammit... Static..." she heard that evil voice say.

She felt like turning back now. All of this was beyond her. Something evil fell out of the sky, she knew it. Yes, she felt like the stars were actually souls, but not all souls are good. Some are tainted. And she was sure the one that fell was really tainted.

"Omega...? Rouge...?" she heard it cough, "Anyone?... Any... one...?"

For the next few minutes, all she heard was the crackles of fire. It took the calls of her people to spring her to action.

"Climb the wall you all," she heard Pachacamac call, "It's just over here."

The one order that wasn't even directed toward her, pushed her forward.

Blood. The side of the metal bird was seeping blood. She gasped, bringing her hands away. Her blue eyes moved up its steel hull.

She gazed into the face of the devil.

The being before her etched its way into the vilest parts of her mind. It had these blood-red eyes. It owned this black fur, that resembled the darkness of night. Its quills flowed upward like horns, and red ran up them. He may have been injured, but he still oozed terror. And she was most truly terrified.

The orange echidna girl said nothing. The being before her said nothing. Why hadn't she screamed yet. The action was there, but she didn't execute it. She remained woefully silent at the sight of this creäture.

This man who fell from the stars, in a metal bird.

"Who?" she whispered.

The creäture turned away at her sight. His hand reached up from the silver hole he was in. Pushing forth this glass seal, she heard him grunt and groan in pain.

"No," he said, "No..."

He pulled himself up from the cockpit of his metal bird, before falling over to the earth violently. His weak body crumpled against the ground, causing more of his blood to spill. Tikal may have believed it was evil, but she couldn't stand to see it suffer. Quickly, she pass the metal bird, to meet the creäture of sky origins.

"Are... you... okay?" she questioned, unsure if she should even be this close.

Her hand reached forward. She touched his shoulder.

He swung back and struck her, while at the same time roaring in pain.

Tikal fell back, while she gripped tightly on her hand. It stung from the hit, but surely not as much pain went through her, as the creäture before him. Still, she felt the wince of injury leave her lips.

Water appeared.

Tikal gazed all around her, as a violent puddle started to ripple around her. She waved her hands about, while saying 'No!', but it was too late.

Chaos 0 had appeared. His green eyes glared toward the weak hedgehog before him. Said hedgehog had started staring back. His crimson eyes widened, while he laid his hands on the ground around him.

"C-C-Chaos?" his demented voice rang with confusion.

The liquid god made no noise. Instead, he raised his hand. Quickly, the limb formed a great hammer. Said hammer hung dangerously over the hedgehog's body. Chaos pulled back. The demon sprung forward.

Somehow, despite all the injuries he sustained, he was able to curl into a ball and propel himself forward. He struck through Chaos' hammer, and severed it from the rest of his body. In stunned silence Tikal watched this. She had never seen someone hit Chaos before.

Ever.

Quickly, the being fell a yard away. He collapsed immediately, his hand clamped tightly on his heart. He let out many gasps for breathes, while his weak and brittle body quaked. He tried to stand, but upon doing so, his body gave out. Aquatic footsteps echoed behind him. He turned to face them. Chaos 0 pulled back his hand. The hedgehog prepared to dodge. Chaos' hand suddenly shot forth like an elastic band, but his demonic foe dodged the attack in a black blur. Somehow, he disappeared. In unison, Tikal and Chaos looked around to find this being. He was near the metal bird, much to their surprised. Though he was doubled over in pain, he still held enough strength to utter a command.

"Chaos... Spear..."

His hand surged with yellow bolts of Chaos Energy. Tikal covered her mouth with her hands, while Chaos moved over to be before her. The black and red hedgehog continued to charge, before thrusting forth his hand. A yellow blast flew from his fingertips, and collided with Chaos 0. For a brief moment, the water god quaked, as electricity surged through him. Somehow, despite all of this, the Master Emerald guardian thrusted forth his aquatic limb. The large attack came at such sudden speeds, his demonic foe had no time to dodge it. It slammed into his body, and crushed him up against the metal bird he was found in.

Silence quickly took over.

Chaos 0's green eyes looked at the hedgehog before him.

"Chaos!" Tikal cried, "You're hurt."

The water being looked to her quickly. She was sure if he could talk, he wouldn't say a word.

"Did you hear that!?" someone cried from away, "Chief Pachacamac, I believe we are nearing it!"

Tikal started to fret. The demon before her had stopped moving completely, as he now laid silent, with closed eyes. Glaring up to Chaos, she watched him splash down into a puddle, and fade away. Now alone, she returned her glare to the black and red hedgehog. She found her feet bring her forward. Her hand started to brush alongside his blood dyed fur, and upon doing so, she felt shivers spring up her spine.

The footsteps grew closer. Her father was near.

She wanted to run, but the being before her looked to hurt to move. She didn't want to leave him, it just wasn't in her nature. But if her father found her here, she would surely be punished.

Oh, what to do?

She stepped back. Her body fell behind a great rock. She pressed her lithe body up hard against the rock, as it gave her the only hiding spot from the group. They appeared suddenly, their spears drawn out. Pachacamac stood out firm from the group, his dark blue eyes scanning closely everything. If he was surprised by the carnage of everything, he sure was hiding it well.

"Look, Chief Pachacamac," one of his men called, "A... metal bird?"

That got the chief's eyes. He glared off into the area where his underling brought attention too. One of his men waved his hand to bring attention to himself.

"Look sir..." he called, voice so unsure, "It's a... man..."

Pachacamac raised his eyebrow at the call. A metal bird falling from the sky is weird, but a man too? He needed to see this with his own eyes. He grew closer to his man. Upon his arrival, said man moved away. The echidna chief glared down to the head of the metal bird, before moving his sight down.

His eyes widened.

"What man... falls from the stars?" one of his subordinates inquired.

"A Starman..." Pachacamac answered.


	2. Sunlight

Sunlight

"Well, what are you waiting for? Pick him up."

Pachacamac's order came from nowhere, and it literally jolted his subordinates. In unison, they looked at him, mouth agape. His face remained stern against their questioning faces, for he cared not of their words.

"But... Chief Pachacamac," one finally got the strength to say, "Are you sure?"

The aged echidna gave his underling a sharp glare, showing he wasn't in the mood for talking. Regardless, he decided to entertain the questioner.

"He's most obviously a gift from the gods," he said, "And... I find it foolish to disregard a gift from the gods."

The order was enough for his men, but not for the orange echidna who hid behind a great rock. She held her hand over her heart, trying to parse together the broken information she had learned. That demon? A gift from the gods? Had the chief lost his mind? He may have not seen that thing fight, but she knew he could see him! He lied right there, unconscious. But that didn't make him appear any less evil. That thing was no gift from no god. That thing was a monster.

A dark. Evil. Monster.

She pulled her hand away from her chest. To her surprise, her white clothing had been dyed a dark red. Blood. But where did the blood come from? After gazing into her hand, she saw why. Her hand had been stained with blood as well. A quick glance from her hiding spot showed her the bleeding monster. She had touched it. Funny, really, because she didn't remember doing it.

After a few minutes of watching her people tug on the demon, she realized this was the opportune time to make her escape. They were so worried about the 'Starman' as they called it, that they didn't notice the echidna girl make her way out. She quickly climbed the walls of the cliff, and returned to the mountain ridge's top. After a quick glance in the distance, she saw her home city.

She ran off for it. Her mind was rushing with a flurry of thoughts. What was that thing that fell from the sky? What was he doing in a metal bird? And where did he get the galls to attack Chaos like that? That, _Starman_, despite having been injured, still decided to battle her aquatic friend. And, he was good. That thought itself terrified her. A man, so injured that he couldn't stand, still put forth enough strength to fight Chaos 0. And he hurt him. He _hurt_ Chaos 0. How did he do that?

She had to come to a stop. She was halfway between the mountains and the city, so she was a safe way away from her father. Right now, she needed to think. What was that thing? Where did he come from? And how did he fight Chaos like that?

Maybe this was a nightmare. Maybe she was just sleeping near the Master Emerald, waiting for her best friend to wake her up. But if this was a nightmare, she would have most surely awoken by now. A quick pinch to the arm cemented the realization in her head. This was no nightmare.

Oh, she wished her grandmother was here. She always knew what to do, especially when it comes to demons. Her grandmother was a strong woman. Stronger than her, that's for sure.

Her feet started once again. She wasn't running this time, instead taking solace in a nice slow walking pace. She would arrive before her father, she knew that, so there was no need to rush. Bed sounded so good right now. So very good indeed.

…

"CHAOS!" she screamed.

The city streets. Everywhere. Blood. Everywhere. Fire. Everywhere. Death. Everywhere...

_ Everywhere!_

She laid her hands over top her mouth as her body quaked with fear. Her light blue eyes constantly darting left and right, taking in the images of the dead that littered the streets. They were everywhere. The dead. Her people. Were dead. The buildings that housed her people danced in fire, as the stars hollered bloody murder. She could hear the cackle of explosions, echo deep within her home, sending this new-found fear within her. Screams called out, showing some people were still alive, though not for long.

What had caused this? What _could_ cause this? Where was Chaos!?

"CHAOS!" she cried out, "CHAOS WHERE ARE YOU!?"

Finally, he heeded her call. The water good pooled at her feet, and quickly took his usual form. Green eyes gazing at her, they looked filled with pain. That terrified Tikal. She never knew Chaos could feel pain.

"Chaos, what's going on? Chaos! What happened!?"

His liquid mouth opened. Face becoming like a dinosaur's, he let out a quick roar. But not to tell her something. This roar was filled with pain.

Chaos exploded.

Water was thrown left, right, up, down, and all over Tikal. She spat out the liquid that was her best friend, whilst trying her hardest to remove the water from her fur. She started to quake now, quake with fear. Her eyes moved wide, as she knelt down. For some reason, she thought she could put together her friend, if she just tried hard enough. But his aquatic body constantly oozed between her fingers, escaping her grasp.

She started to cry, as her mind tried its hardest to think up an answer. But what answer could one find in all of this?

Finally, she heard footsteps. Thinking it was her people, she sprung up her eyes to see who it was.

She met crimson eyes.

That being, the Starman, looked at her. His blood dyed eyes matching his blood stained fur. Those streaks on his body looked brilliant against the bloody murder on the streets. He held no emotion on his face. The muzzle that held his lips were so calm, while his eyes were locked forward sternly.

He stepped forward.

Tikal felt this overwhelming sense of fear rush over her. She started to shake, as her feet brought her back. The demon stepped forward again. Once more, that feeling of immense fear took over her, but now it was at a greater intensity. She fell back, and started crawling on her backside to escape this approaching beast. With each step, he grew closer, and closer, while at the same time driving this overbearing spike of fear within her. The Starman had now gotten upon her. He stood tall before her. His stature easily casted a cold and dark shade over her body. Somehow, Tikal felt trapped by that shade.

She brought up her hands to block out her face. She just didn't know what to do. This being. This being who killed her people. Stood before her. His ruby eyes locked down on her, like a predator stalking its prey. She was doomed, she knew that now. But she still had the energy to speak.

"Why did you do this?"

The demon cocked his head. Quickly, he glared away. His eyes moved back to her. He stretched forth his hand. It started surging with yellow chaos energy. He never gained an evil glare, or a malicious one. He merely stood erect and indifferent.

"Chaos Spear..." he whispered, whilst thrusting his finger forth.

Tikal braced for impact.

"NO!" she screamed.

…

She pulled herself up. Long drawn out pants escaped her mouth, while drool hung from her lips. Grabbing a hold of her dreads, she found many of them to be split, as if someone had forcibly tried to untangle them. What was going on?

One look at the city she called home made her smile. A nightmare. It was only a nightmare. She fell backwards, and laid down on the stone flooring under her, sighing in relief.

The bright afternoon sun lied high in the sky, illuminating her body in a radiant glow. She felt so hot right now, thanks to the yellow orb beaming down upon her. Moving her blue eyes around, she realized she wasn't in bed. Her roof didn't lay above her head, nor did any sheets cover her body. In fact, she was laying on something very hard. Finally, her eyes moved to the sight of something she recognized.

The Master Emerald. So she was at the Master Emerald Altar. That means she didn't make it home last night. Father would surely be mad.

Finally, she gained the strength to stand. Her sandal clad feet brought her to the object of infinite power, and she laid her head upon it. So warm, it felt right now, as if it were trying to comfort her. Giving a smile, she closed her eyes, and gave a sigh.

Crimson eyes.

Her body tensed up, and she jutted back. Why did those eyes pop up in her head? They terrified her! She tried to shake her head clear of the thoughts, but they just kept creeping their way in. Over and over again, all the time. Those crimson red eyes! The mere thought of them sprang pain in her heart. She just didn't want to think about it.

Finally, she gained the mindset to leave. Gazing at her haggard morning face probably had some dealings in that decision.

…

"Who are you?"

Pachacamac's question went unanswered, as he glared down to the being before him. Water poured all around them, in this room made specifically for the gods. The Temple of the Gods. Only the priests and their underlings remained in these hollowed halls, but today was a special event. Today, he had brought with him, the Starman.

The Starman had not yet awoken, it seemed, as he remained silent all through the night. His injuries had also not been tended too as of yet. But the oddest thing seemed to happen to him. Pachacamac could have sworn he saw his injuries heal themselves. Sure, it was slow, but it was happening before his very eyes. The sight made him smirk.

"So, Chief Pachacamac," a priest said, stepping up, "What is it that you plan on doing with the Starman?"

The leader of the Knuckles Tribe rubbed his chin slowly, as he thought up an answer. He really had no answer, and since the Starman wasn't waking up anytime soon, he knew he had little else to do.

"Have you checked our records, Priest?" Pachacamac questioned, "Has anything about a being from the sky been within them?"

"No Chief," the priest responded, "The Starman isn't written anywhere on our books or walls. He's just as new to you, as he is to me."

Being the aged echidna he was, Pachacamac didn't like those words. A man from the stars fell within his metal bird to the ground. Beings don't survive falls that long. So how did this man? He had to be of godly origin, he had to be. But as long as he remained asleep, they were getting no answers.

"Father!" a call came from one of the halls.

In unison, the priest and chief glared off to it. Running down frantically, was an orange echidna.

"Tikal," Pachacamac said, disdain in his voice, "How many times have I told you not to call me that?"

Immediately, the echidna stopped, only to regain her composure.

"Chief Pachacamac," she said, her eyes moving elsewhere, while unhappiness stained her voice, "I came to ask you a question."

Slowly, her blue eyes returned to her father's frame. Then, those same blue eyes gazed behind him. She felt her voice get caught up in throat. She grabbed a hold of her chest, as she stared at the very demon that had been plaguing her. He was still silent from his battle with Chaos 0, and those wounds were still there. Any words she had were immediately taken from her.

"Tikal," Pachacamac called, sensing her displeasure, "What is the matter?"

She was supposed to hide this feeling. Her father didn't know she was there at the crash site last night. But she just couldn't. Looking at the demon that haunted her dreams made her freeze up with fear.

"What is he doing here?" she whispered.

Her voice was so low, it almost went unnoticed. But her father heard it, and that's all that mattered. Pachacamac got closer to her, his face retaining that stern disposition. Upon arriving to his daughter, he laid his hand upon her shoulder, causing her head to move up to his. Their gaze meeting one another, he gave a brief smile. Funny. Tikal couldn't remember the last time her father smiled. Unfortunately, it did little to relieve her of her inner turmoils.

"The Starman," he said, smiling, "Did you notice the falling star last night?"

She nodded.

"Well, this being was found in the area he fell at." he faced him, "I believe he is of heavenly descent."

She shook her head, however. A demon cannot come from heaven, that's impossible. Still, despite her feelings, she felt her father push her forward. For some reason, her feet started moving as well, eventually bringing him close to the body before her.

The Starman, the _Demon_, laid on an elevated platform, his body laid calmly in a line. Now as he laid here, he looked different. Being able to look upon him in a different position, the orange echidna girl felt oddly comfortable. Those red eyes of his were closed, and that demonic visage had melted away. He looked compose in his sleep, cute even. Like a child.

But he still looked pretty bad. The injuries he sustained from his fall remained on his body, as well as those new injuries he gained from his tussle with Chaos 0. The thought of this man being a demon left her head, as she looked upon him in this weakened state. They still remained, however. Those thoughts. Those fears.

"Chief Pachacamac," someone called from outside, "We must talk with you!"

She heard her father groan with indifference, while he heeded the call. He told her he'll be back, but she ignored him, as her blue eyes were to busy looking at the injured man in front of her. Before she knew it, she was alone, alone with the demon. Alone with the Starman.

Slowly, she made her way toward him. Her feet stepped briefly through the water's that surrounded his body, before coming up to the stone platform he lied on. Her heart had started racing again, as if it were screaming to her to leave. But she didn't. She continued to move forward. And finally, she stood before him.

He looked so hurt right now, so fragile. Lifting her hand, she laid it upon one of is wounds. Though it looked like a pretty bad bruise, it no longer seeped blood. How strange was this, for no bandages or healing herbs lied near his body. As far as she knew, the men probably just laid him here, and started to investigate him, regardless of his wounds or not.

Once again, she touched one of his wounds. He winced.

The slight motion made her bring her hand and body away quickly. Returning her blue eyes to his face, she found he was still asleep, though now he was pained. For some reason, she cursed herself for hurting him. But it didn't take long for her to return to his side.

Once again, her cerulean eyes moved up and down his body. He wasn't dressed like any person she's ever met before. Granted, she's _only_ met other echidna's before. Yeah, that's true. Now that she looked upon this black and red being, she realized it wasn't an echidna like her.

"Hedgehog..." she whispered, laying her hand upon his chest.

Hedgehogs were revered creatures in the Knuckles Tribe. A long time ago, it was foretold that a golden yellow hedgehog would save the Master Emerald from a great man. But enough about that.

She traveled her gaze up and down his body then. He was wearing gloves, with golden rings around his wrists. One of them, however, was dented and cracked. Moving her eyes down, she looked toward his feet. He was wearing shoes she could never fathom. White, black, and red, they had holes on the underside. How useful could shoes be, if they have holes in them, she thought. But there was something odd about the shoes. They were ruined. Dented, bashed in, crushed, they were easily slipping off the feet that they held on to.

All of these things made her question something.

"Who are you?"

She found her feet moving then. As if given some imaginary command, she made her way out of the Temple. Her feet brought her farther and farther away, before ending at the city's resident fabric worker. He smiled at her, but grew confused as she started taking sheets and clothes. Though he called out to her, she was already running down the street, making her way back toward the temple. Passing priests and workers alike, she finally returned to the injured Starman. He hadn't moved, of course.

Her eyes started scanning him thoroughly. Each wound, each injury, she took into account. The heart in her chest started pumping. She gripped onto the coils she brought with her, and lifted his arm. He made no noise. Carefully, she began to wrap one of his wounds. He winced. She stopped. Her blue eyes moved back to his face, seeing his injured expression. A few seconds later, however, that expression melted back into the calm, sleeping one. She continued then.

She moved her eyes over to another mark on his body. This one, on his shoulder. Grabbing a coil once more, she started to wrap the wound up in white. She was slower with this one, taking her time to twirl the coil up around her.

"Foooo..."

Who made that noise? Looking left and right, she made sure no one else was in this room. A quick glance down revealed to her who made the sound. Once again, his face changed. Now, it was content. She continued.

Her working eventually brought her to his legs. His upper torso was now properly bandaged, but Tikal refrained from doing the same to his lower side. But now, she had no choice but to. She started to wrap up the wounds on his legs with the coils. Now, she was acting extremely slow. She felt blood rush up to her cheeks, as she wrapped up places so close to his pelvis. She had never been this close to a man before, and honestly, it was embarrassing. Still, she couldn't allow this being to continue suffering from his wounds, could she? The Starman seemed to enjoy it, as he had not made a wincing pain since the last time. Tikal wasn't sure if she should be disturbed by this or not.

Finishing with his legs, the orange furred girl moved closer down. She started to prod his feet. Slowly, one of his freaky shoes slipped off. It clanked against the ground, as it fell atop it. The motion made her turn to the Starman's face. He didn't move. Carefully, she did the same to his other shoe. Sliding it off his toes, and to the ground below. Once again, it fell and snapped up against the earth. She looked to his face one more time. Still, no reaction. She moved up his body, coming to his gloves and hands. Her eyes glared intensely at the dented ring around his wrist. She touched it.

He touched back.

If she wanted to scream, it sure didn't happen. The demon was awake, and he was angry. His face was a scowl, his crimson eyes were burning, and his grasp was strong. He moved so fast, she didn't notice it. Both of her wrists were held tightly but his hands. She started quaking, her heart started running, panting escaped her lips.

"Who are you," he whispered, voice oozing venom, "And where am I?"

This was something she wasn't prepared for. Being face to face with a demon. Not an angel like her, no, no, not an angel like her. His grip increased, putting the urgency in her mind.

"Who are you," he repeated, but slower this time, "And where am I?"

Suddenly, he started to shake. His ruby eyes moved back, while a call of pain exited his lips. Grip loosening, he fell back onto the slab, and started to pant. Each time he moved, he would groan out in pain. So quickly, he went from deadly, to deadly weak.

Right now, she should have gone screaming. She should have run her tail out of this room, and screamed her head off, drawing as much attention to her as she could. Then the priest would come in, and exercise this demon of his life. That's what she should have done.

But she surprised herself.

"You're hurt." she called out, trying to stabilize his painful thrashing.

"Let go of me!" he growled, despite the fact that he was in no position to make demands.

"I'm trying to help you," she claimed, "Please, calm down."

He no longer tried appeasing to her by words, and instead by action. He started shaking, but Tikal clamped down upon his wrists, holding him down. The black and red hedgehog gave a few snarling growls, but she continued to hold him down, her blue eyes peering into his crimson ones. No matter how much he tried to break free, it just wasn't happening. He was caught, deadlocked.

"Let go!" he commanded, trying his hardest to break free.

"Please, Starman," she pleaded, "Just calm down, I'm not trying to hurt you!"

But he wasn't having it. He continued to shake, all in the name of breaking free. But Tikal was just a tad bit stronger, somehow. The Starman's shaking quickly melted away, and turned into low, malicious growls. Now Tikal was really scared. He may have been weak, but she was taught to never underestimate people, and she definitely wasn't going to underestimate this person.

Lifting her hands from his wrists, she gingerly removed the white gloves from his hands. She heard him wince in pain. Her eyes trekked to his hand, to see a wound on it. How it got underneath his glove, she'd never know, but she wasn't going to leave it be. Lifting another coil, she started to wrap it around his hand. As she did so, she glanced up to him. His scowl was retained.

"Who are you?" he asked again, but this time with less anger.

"I'm... Tikal..." she answered, meekly.

His hand started to curl and uncurl, once the coil had been properly set. Tikal checked it to make sure, before moving her eyes back to his.

"What's... your name, Starman?" she questioned.

His eyes squinted, shooting her an extra powerful glare. She wilted at the sight, and immediately turned away.

"Shadow..." he whispered, "Shadow the hedgehog..."

…

The dead laid around him. He lifted his glove to his chin, and started to stroke his beard. His men were, understandably, shaken up by what they were seeing. Who did this, and why?

All around the Starman's metal bird, lied dead bodies. Pachacamac had left men here to guard it. Now he had returned to find them all dead.

"Why do you think they did this?" he questioned, of the priest beside him.

"I'm not sure, Chief Pachacamac," he answered, "But they seem to mean business."

The old chief moved over to the metal bird, laying his hand on his hull. Gazing into its cockpit, he noticed something was out-of-place. A small indent was in the cockpit's dashboard showing something was place inside of it. He moved his hands alongside the small area, before pulling it back. Something was taken from here. And whatever it was, his men was _killed_ for it.


	3. Some Kind of Addiction

Some Kind of Addiction

"Shadow?" she answered.

The name fitted him perfectly. Shadow the hedgehog, the Starman. He looked like an apparition. Those demonic quills, those violent eyes, the evil way his face looked, even when nonchalant. Yes, Shadow, was a most befitting name indeed. She couldn't help but to think that name over in her head. Shadow. That's the name one gives a monster.

"Please... stop..." he said, tugging lightly on his leg.

She had returned to bandaging an area on his lower body, much to his ire. In retaliation to the movement, she moved her eyes up to his. He looked weak suddenly, as if he were exerting all of his energy to staying awake. He really, really, didn't want her touching him.

"I'm... just trying to help," she stated, "You were pretty hurt from you fall."

His face grew into a grimace, while he glared away. Lifting his hand, he laid it against his temple, just to soothe some of the pain he was feeling. The act, of course, did very little, for the pain wasn't in his head, it was on his body.

"URGH!" he let out, feeling this sharp jolt rocket through his body.

His quick action made Tikal step back, her hand over her mouth. He continued to groan too, as his eyes closed shut. Having never fallen from the sky before, Tikal had no idea how much pain he was going through, though, she was sure it was great.

"Funny, really," the Starman said to no one in particular, "This is the second time I've fallen from space. It still hurts too..."

He stopped arching his body up, as a low and slowed moan exited his lips. Showing his teeth, he tried his hardest to regain his composure. The pain wasn't making it easy, however. After a bit of mental preparation, Tikal stepped forward. Laying her hands on the Starman's shoulders, she said,

"Starman... you're hurting still."

"Shadow..." he groaned, ruby eye shooting to her, "My name is Shadow, not Starman..."

"Well..." she swallowed her spit, "Shadow... Where are you hurting?"

"I'm fine..." he snapped, voice becoming forceful, "It'll pass..."

"You're obviously not fine," Tikal retorted, finding her own force, "Just tell me where!"

Glaring over to her, he decided to not say anything at all. His lips closed shut, and so did his eyes, while a demented growl escaped him. For some reason, this hedgehog's defiant nature made Tikal angry. She was just trying to be a good person, and help him out. Surely, if she were anyone else, she wouldn't have gone out of her way to wrap up his body in coils. But no, she did, because it was the right thing to do. And if he couldn't see that, then she would go elsewhere.

But she didn't go elsewhere.

Slowly, she gripped his shoulder's again. His ruby eyes opened to look at her, while his mouth moved to question her motives. She ignored him, however, and forcibly moved him onto his stomach. She heard him growl in displeasure, as pain surely coursed through him, but she didn't care. Glaring at his back side, she noticed a highway of bruises. Mentally, she kicked herself for missing his backside all together.

"Just... lay like this." she ordered, as her hand reach down.

She heard him voice his displeasure, but once again, she ignored him. Instead, she took the coils in hand, and started to carefully wrap it around his back, covering up the marks there.

"Lean up..." she whispered.

He waved his head in a 'no' manner, making her head cock to the side. He was really defiant for someone who fell from the stars.

And yet, for some reason, he leaned up anyway. Tikal was taken aback by the movement, for it was so slow, yet so sudden. Why had he done so? He was just so defiant before, and yet now, he leaned up on his knees. Sure, he glared at her with a look that could kill but, he leaned up nonetheless. Maybe the pain he was feeling was a bit too much for him. But enough thinking. She wasn't sure how long this moment would stay, so she would have to seize it.

Gripping her coils, she started to wrap it clear across his body. Past his sides, over his stomach, past the other side, and back to the back again. She performed this act so slowly. Her subject was still fragile from his fall, she knew that. Starman or demon, she didn't know, what she did know, was that falling can hurt, even when your are in a great mechanical bird. Funny, that metal bird. Tikal got the urge to ask him about it.

"Starman... or... Shadow," she whispered, gaining the strength to look up to him, "Where did you come from?"

Those crimson eyes of his scanned her face. The visage he wore melted away to one of concealed annoyance.

"Tell me where I am first..." he demanded, leaving her at a lost.

"Cielo Isla." Tikal responded, her eyes returning to the coils.

"Cielo... Isla...?" he repeated, unsure if he heard them or not.

"Now please, Shadow," she continued, glancing up, "Where did you come from? Why did you fall from the stars, like you did? And what of the metal bird you fell in? Where did that come from?"

Her flurry of questions must have been too much for him, as he turned away instead of answering. Rather, his hand met his head again, while a grimaced escaped his lips.

"I... I can't stay here..." he answered, "I need to get back home..."

"Home?" Tikal questioned, "You mean... back to the stars?"

"Tell me," the hedgehog inquired, glancing to her, "What _year_ is this?"

"What year?" she repeated, finding it to be an odd question, "Uhh... I don't really know, honestly..." looking away, she continued to think on his inquisition, "Uhhhhhh... well... It's been... two thousand years since our clan's inception so... well... I'm not really sure..."

The Starman grimaced.

His body lurched forward slowly, as he gripped onto his stomach. Tikal, growing horrified, laid him down lightly on the pedestal he sat on. His eyes remained shut, as he seemingly focused on the pain he was feeling. So, in order to soothe his injuries, the orange echidna girl started to rub him.

It was something common for the Knuckles Tribe. Men and women alike would usually overwork their muscles. When your tribe consists of people who enjoys climbing and treasure hunting, then having strained muscles is pretty much a given. In order to calm these muscles, they would usual rub one another. No, it wasn't sensual or sexual even, it was always in the name of healing. So why did Tikal feel so wrong now?

Her hands. Her soft, tender hands, started to glide across Shadow's chest, pressing lightly against his tense body. Unfortunately, this caused him to groan more, making Tikal shake. Glancing down to her hands, she realized why. Her heavy gloves were still on. Now she was grimacing. Regardless, she slid them off, to look at her hands underneath. Dropping her gloves to the side, she once again pressed her fingers up against his body.

Her soft digits grooved along his chest. She could feel his fur, bend and curl, as her fingers slid through them. The Starman's scowl slowly melted, as his muzzle lost its tenseness. Was she panting? She could feel her breathes be short and close. Her fingers continued to move through his chest, pressing down every now and then with light fluttering touches. No longer was he scowling. Now, he was just silent.

The door suddenly opened.

The Starman's eyes shot open, and he glared away toward the noise. At the same time, Tikal did too. Staring back at them? Chief Pachacamac.

"Tikal," he called, stepping forward, "What are you doing to the Starman?"

Was she blushing? She could feel the blood in her cheeks, so she figured as much. But why was she blushing? She was only trying to soothe his pain that's nothing new. She's done it to many other men before so, why did this feel different?

"Wait..." Pachacamac said, cocking his head, "Is... Is the Starman awake?"

Tikal nodded. That was all she could do.

Shadow lurched up. That scowl of his so quickly returned. Turning around, he faced the leader of the Knuckles Tribe.

"Great gift from the gods." Tikal heard her father say, "This is..."

He couldn't finish his words. He was speechless.

Shadow's ruby eyes moved up to the taller echidna man. Right now, he looked feral, as if, at any moment, he could spring out and attack. Never being in this position before, the black and red hedgehog really had no idea what to do.

But what happened next surprised everyone in the room.

Pachacamac dropped to his knees before him. He was bowing. On his knees, before him, he was bowing. Tikal was really taken aback. She stepped back, feeling this aura of authority befall her. And then, for reasons she didn't understand, she fell to her knees as well. Eyes closing, she followed her father's example, and bowed to the Starman before her.

Shadow. He just stood there, mouth agape with confusion. If he had any words to say, he really didn't say them. Instead, he stared. Just. Stared.

"Priest!" Pachacamac called, "Priest! He has awoken!"

It didn't take long for another echidna to enter the room. He had a staff with him, and wore a long robe. Glaring at the chief and then, at the chief's daughter, he trekked his eyes up to the standing hedgehog. Immediately, he started bowing as well.

"You can... stop this..." Shadow stated, face growing into minor confusion.

Like lightning, the chief and priest stood, taking his command as that of God. Once again, the black and red hedgehog frowned. And then, suddenly, he fell back. Coughs and growls of pain escaped his maw, as he clenched onto his body. As Tikal stood tall, she heard her father call for healers and the like. It didn't take long for the room to be filled with people. All of them healers, designated people in the clan who performs healing rituals. Before Tikal knew it, she was being forced out of the room, as commands and orders were giving out. Still, her blue eyes stared through the many folds of people.

She saw crimson staring back.

…

"I just don't know, Chaos..." she commented.

Her gloved hand slid down the side of the Chao before her. The small blue creäture smiled sweetly, while the yellow orb above his head transformed into a heart. Normally, Tikal would have found this to be cute, but right now. She just didn't know.

Back leaned up against one of the columns that held the Chaos Emerald, she just couldn't stop thinking about these red eyes. Boy, did they terrify her. All last night, after the Starman had awoken, she thought about his eyes. No nightmare this time, just an eerie dream. They were standing in a room. A dark, dismal room, with no light coming through. She could see his form, however, just as clear as day. But the most pronounced attribute of his, was his ruby eyes. And he just stared at her. All night long, in that dream.

Why was she dreaming about him now?

It didn't take long for her friend to answer her call. One of the pond rings around the Master Emerald started to ripple. The Chao that played in the ring moved away quickly, as an aquatic being rose from the water.

Chaos 0 stepped out of the ring, causing his liquid limbs to splash about. Tikal's face remained adamant, however, as she stared at her friend's green orbs. His brain started pulsating through his watery body, as his feet brought him closer and closer. Standing before her, he suddenly slid his watery hand against her chin, lifting it. She found the warmth of his cold hand to be inviting. Still didn't make her feel better.

"He's such... I can't explain it, Chaos... I just can't..."

She moved her blue eyes up, glaring at those green orbs of his. Slowly, he shifted his eyesight to the Master Emerald that shined on its pedestal.

"I understand, Chaos..." she said, answering his statement, "But he's different from the Master Emerald." she sighed, "I mean... Shadow, his name is Shadow, he's alive."

Chaos' head moved back to her. Green orbs moving up and down, he made his reply.

"Not like the Master Emerald isn't alive!" she said, chuckling, "It's just that..."

Her hand gripped her head, and she started to groan.

"I want to go back," she stated, standing up, "I don't know why but... I want to go back..."

Chaos cocked his head to the side, scanning her face. Her sudden statement caught him off guard. And honestly, it caught her off guard as well. But she did so anyway. She stood up, placed down the Chao that lied in her arms, and made her way elsewhere, nearly trance like. Chaos watched her leave, and once her image disappeared, so did he.

Why was she coming back?

She found herself, prodding the entrance to the temple, yet again. To anyone else, it appeared as if she just wanted to find solace with the gods, but that wasn't true. Not at all.

The Starman. Her father had actually fallen to him, feet first, to bless him, and ask for blessing. And she, she did too. For reasons she just didn't understand. So why was she coming back? Why?

Up the temple stairs, she saw an echidna walk down. The taller burly fellow glared his dark blue eyes down, while his grip increased on his spear. Mentally, she started to curse herself. She didn't want to run into him today, not so soon, at least. But he was here, and she had to face him now.

"Chief Pachacamac." she said, glancing down.

"Tikal," he answered, "You're just the girl I wanted to see."

That got her attention. Why did her father want her? He's never requested her audience before so, why now? Stepping forward, she followed regardless, knowing just how bad it could be if she ignored him. He led her down the halls, and back to the area where the Starman had been lain.

He was standing, his demented eyes glaring out the window.

"Starman," Pachacamac said, bowing, "I have returned."

The black and red hedgehog's ruby eyes moved to Tikal, for some reason. That indifferent look of his shook her, however.

"Please, Pachacamac," he stated, "You don't have to do that."

It didn't take long for the chieftain to return to his feet. Slowly, his blue eyes moved down to Tikal. She returned his glare with one of frightened indifference. She had started shaking again, and yet she couldn't tell why. She felt as if his red eyes were peering directly into her soul. She crossed her arms over her chest, while gazing away, in order to block his prying eyes. But that didn't work. She still felt as if he was undressing her soul.

"You're the one from yesterday..." he commented.

Did he forget so fast? She was the one who placed coils around his body, didn't she? The thought of being forgotten made her angry, though she didn't know why. Her blue eyes moved back to him, just to see his wavering eyes. His arms were crossed, and he was glancing elsewhere. The coils on his body had been changed to something stronger, making her grimace. Someone changed her coils, unfortunately enough. The thought made her saddened and once again, she knew not why.

"I have a very important proposition for you, Tikal," Pachacamac said, gaining her attention, "And I know you _won't_ say no."

Though the thought of saying no _did_ cross her mind, she instead bit her lip. It was just smarter to accept whatever he was going to say, she learned that now.

"What is it, Chief Pachacamac."

Through that beard of his, she saw him smile.

"The Starman appears to be woefully unequipped to move without aid. Apparently, the fall from the heavens took a lot out of him so. He goes on about returning to his metal bird, but our healers say that wouldn't be wise so..."

She knew what he was about to say. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. She was so ready to say no, she just needed to hear it first.

"Only time will tell when he will be able to return to his metal bird, and until that time. I have chosen you to be his caretaker."

She opened her mouth to say no. She was so ready, so very ready to yell it out. But once again, she surprised herself.

"Okay..." she answered, near trance like.

The short reply made her father's face brighten up. Not so much from the Starman.

"Please," Shadow said, "I don't need help. Just bring me to my ship."

"We will, in due time, Starman," Pachacamac answered, "Just first... we need to make sure you are fine."

The black and red hedgehog showed a face of annoyance, but that didn't stay long. His ruby eyes moved away from the echidna chieftain, and instead to his daughter. Tikal returned his stare.

Her heart started racing again.

"Chief?" a priest called, "Chief, we need you."

She heard her father give a gruff call, before he patted down her shoulder.

"Be gentle with the Starman," he whispered, "He is important to us, Tikal."

She nodded to his call.

The next few seconds happened in a blur, to her. She heard her father chuckle, he said some more things, but ultimately, he left. She also remembered looking up at the Starman's face, and peering into his eyes. Once again, she felt her mind being peeled back, all by his stone gaze.

"I don't want to be here..." he stated, easily enough, "I want to go back home."

"You heard my father," she answered, "I would love to get you home, Shadow but... I agree with you being too hurt. There's no way you could make the walk over to your metal bird from here. You can barely stand."

"I'll find a way." he responded, taking a stand.

His moment of strength faded away very quickly, as he toppled over in pain. As he bent over himself, he suddenly felt soft hands hold him up. Looking up, he dragged his red eyes alongside her orange frame. Though the pain had subsided, and he could now stand, he still felt weary of her aid. So, as soon as he returned to his feet, he shook her off. The echidna was taken aback by his abrupt rudeness, but she remained by his side. Before she took a hold of him, however, she once again slipped off her gloves, remembering how good he felt when she rubbed him without them on.

So, once again, her tender fingers grooved through the fur on his shoulders, making him slump over briefly.

"You can't go anywhere, Shadow..." she whispered, "Please, let me take care of you."

"So, what are you trying to say?" he questioned, glancing at her, "I'm stuck here?"

She nodded meekly.

"Great..." he responded sarcastically, "Just great..."

Escaping her grasp once more, he instead laid himself up against the pedestal he was laid upon. Hand finding his face, he grimaced.

"So Shadow," he said to himself, "Just what have you gotten yourself into?"

Tikal stepped back however. That fear she held toward him had suddenly returned, oddly enough. And now, all she could do. Was just watch him.

…

"I see... I see... So _this_ is a Chaos Emerald. Interesting. Interesting. I can feel the energy it's resonating off. Funny, really... it feels reminiscent of the energy within our temples. I'll have to remember that. But. There are only supposed to be_ 7_ of these. What is this one doing existing. Well... I'll have to figure that out soon enough. Soon enough."

His three eyes moved elsewhere.

* * *

_Trivia Time!_

_For those who have been reading my stories, then you know I haven't done a Trivia Time in a very, very, long time. Not since Shadows of Hope, in fact. So, why not christine this new story of mine, with one? Huh?_

_I really just wanted to explain some things on the ancient city Tikal is in. In the future, its just call Mystic Ruins, ya'know, the adventure field in SADX. Since it wouldn't make any sense to call the place 'Mystic Ruins', in the past, I decided to make up a new name. Cielo Isla is the name of Mystic Ruins in the past. And yes, I did look for a name for the place, through the various continuities, but I just couldn't find one. What does Cielo Isla mean? Well, its easier than you think. In fact, its the name its always had. Cielo Isla means Angel Island. Its in Spanish, so yeah. Why Spanish? Well, the echidna tribe is based off of ancient Mayan and Aztec races, and since ancient Mayan and ancient Aztec isn't a language (as far as I know), I went for the next best thing. Spanish. So... yeah..._

_Well, that's enough for now. Please review and the like, I really, really, enjoy reading new reviews. If you have any questions as well, feel free to ask._

_Now, till next time!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	4. Nocturne

Nocturne

She tip toed silently down the halls. She was having a hard time, the orange echidna was, tugging all of these objects along in her hands. They weren't many, but they were oblong in the way that they were made, making it hard to get a grasp on them. Add the fact that her gloves were already bulky, and you have a recipe for annoyance. Every now and then, she would stop to get a better grip on the items in hand, said new grip would soon crumble down a few feet later. She was getting annoyed by all of this, but fortunately, she was near her destination. Giving a quick nudge, she opened the stone doors that led to the inner most sanctum.

He stood there, as he usually did, arms crossed, crimson eyes glaring out the window, wearing nothing but the gold bands around his wrists. How many days had he been here now? Four, she believes, and so, it took four days for him to finally stop rambling to himself. Normally, she would enter, to find him going on about how he had to return to his 'ship'. It didn't take long for her to realize that 'ship' was interchangeable with 'metal bird'. So, she figured that 'Ship' was the giant metal bird's name. In all honesty, it was very confusing. However, today wasn't going to be a day, where they spoke of his metal bird. Today was different.

"Shadow..." she called out, gaining his attention.

As usual, he slowly turned to face her. That visage of his, as indifferent as usual. Boy, did she hate his domineering glare, but she was learning to deal with it. It no longer scared her _as much_ as it did before.

He didn't answer her call, as that gaze of his was words enough. She really felt little under it. However, as stated before, she wasn't going to be pushed down because of it. Taking a few steps forward, she walked up to the pedestal where he had been lain on before. And finally, after such a while, she dropped the items she had brought with her. They landed with a clank on the pedestal, while she let out a much-needed sigh. After dragging her arm across her forehead, she shifted her blue gaze to him. That face of indifference had finally left her, to move down to the items she brought.

"Clothing..." she said, answering some invisible question he posed, "It's clothing..."

The black and red hedgehog's gaze moved up to her, as his ears twitched to hear the call. Though he was physically stronger than he was when he first woke up, he was still a far ways away from his peak. One could tell he was weaker, simply by the way he walked. Though it was still pronounced, and very stern, there was just something off about this stride. Or maybe. She was looking to hard into it.

Slowly, he made his way to the pedestal. Hands reaching forward, he took a hold of the items before him.

"Clothing?" he questioned, glancing up at her.

"You just can't walk around naked, Shadow." she replied, easily enough.

His inquiring glance lowered down to the garments once more, as he picked out a very specific part of clothing. The brown sandals that lay in his hands were surely not to his standards, the echidna could tell. They were bigger than her's, and sturdier as well, for these were the shoes all echidna males wore. On the sides, golden beads, with feathers attached. Surely, this act of fashion was the works of the girl before him, but he wouldn't question her on it.

Glancing down to his feet, he found them to be naked. Honestly, he had forgotten about his shoes all the way up to this very moment, and now, he began to long for his red, white, and black, skates. The girl before him realized this, as she began to fret inwardly.

"You don't... like them?" she questioned, terribly hidden sadness within.

He glanced down. Laying beside the pedestal in a state of poor condition, was his air shoes. The fall really did a number on them.

"I made them myself," Tikal stated, bringing his eyes up to her, "So, I'm sorry if they aren't to your standards. I'll... go to one of the fabric workers. They'll make better ones."

He shook his head, however.

"No," he whispered, as he sat on the pedestal, "They're alright."

His foot slowly slid down into the sandal. Toes being parted by the split at the edge, he found it weird at first. Eventually, his feet seemed to groove in, however. With the sandals on, he found that his feet were oddly comfortable. Funny really, for he had never worn another pair of shoes, other than his own.

Regardless, his ruby eyes moved back to the pedestal, so he could see what else Tikal brought him. Immediately, his eyes snapped onto the sight of gloves. Glaring down to his naked hands, he really couldn't wait for them to be snug and warm in the white fabric. So, he slid them on quickly. Once again, just like the shoes, he found them to be comfortable as well. It made him think.

"Did you make these as well?"

As his red eyes moved up, she locked up. Honestly, she didn't know what to say. The sight of his face bending in displeasure finally gained her attention, however.

"Uh... yes..." she answered, with a slight blush, "I made them too..."

Oddly, he found that be answer enough as to why his clothing were comfortable.

After a few opening and closing of his hands, he felt them to be perfectly stable in these new gloves. So, finished with them, he glanced down to what else Tikal had brought for him. The last object, and possibly the one that gave her the most trouble, was simple. A bronze metal plating, that would fit perfectly over his chest. Only thing he had to do, was put it on. So, lifting the object, he laid it firmly on his shoulders. The bronze item hung low, covering his chest, but not his white chest furs. As he constantly readjusted the plating so it could get comfortable, Tikal found herself marveling at him. The way he looked with clothing made for echidna men made her feel. Different. Why is that.

"Tikal," he called, fidgeting with the plating's backside, "I need some help over here..."

Shaking her head clear of those thoughts, she stepped forward. Though his back was turned to her, his eyesight wasn't. He still scanned her closely, motioning to come forward with his fingers.

"Tikal..."

Finally, she walked up, coming to his backside. Head turning away, he instead pointed to the other metal chest plate she brought. The first one only made part of the full clothing, as the back-end would complete it. Alone, he wouldn't be able to put on the back plate, he'd need her help.

So she reached forward, grabbing the other bronze plate. Lifting it up, she shifted her blue gaze to the hedgehog before her. His ears were twitching, showing impatience. Hands moving forward, she slowly got closer, and closer. Why was she acting this way? This timidness wasn't with her before, so why now? She didn't like it. Not one bit.

The back plate hovered just over the front plate. On the shoulder's of the chest plate, were small little indents, that held the holes of the back plate's screws. All she had to do, was slide them in, and the two would connect together tightly. But she did so slowly. What should have taken seconds, took little over a minute. For some reason, she just couldn't bring herself to slid the plating down, not quickly, at least. The quills on his back folded down, as the back plate got closer and closer.

Finally.

_CLICK!_

"Was that it?" he questioned, glancing back to her.

She was so at a lost of words, she merely nodded. This, in turn, caused him to nod.

"Thank you..." he replied, glancing away.

He stood up from the pedestal then, and his feet brought him over to the window.

Tikal neglected to stand, however. She continued to look at him, her blue eyes shining. His dark frame stood in the only sunlight that came from the window. Those rays gleamed against his body, causing him to shine. Or maybe. Maybe that was just her mind playing tricks on her.

But of course not! That's silly! He's just a man. Just another man. Okay, he's not _just_ a man. He fell from the stars in a metal bird and survived. He also fought Chaos 0, despite massive injuries, and caused him pain. Not only that, but he's been on her mind as of late. But, of course he'd be on her mind! She's afraid of him! But. If she was afraid of him, then why did she make these pairs of clothing for him?

Tikal was so confused. There was this mysterious aura floating around him, that made him so alluring. But at the same time, that aura terrified her. She knew, that behind those crimson eyes, lay a murderous being. It was just something she knew. This, sixth sense. Maybe it was all of those hours spent around the Master Emerald and Chaos Emeralds. She could just tell.

Who is Shadow the hedgehog? She found that thought running through her head. And, oddly, the thought made her ask a question.

"Do you wish to leave?"

Her inquisition gained his attention. Arms crossing, he turned to look at her. His overbearing gaze, made her turn away.

"I'm... sorry," she continued, "I spoke out of line."

He looked to her, quite quickly. Weakly, she brought her eyes back up to his. And for a moment, things were frozen there. She just couldn't help but to stare, stare directly into his eyes. Those eyes.

Those crimson, blood, demonic, eyes.

She stood up. He stepped forward. She stepped back. His mouth opened to talk. She turned away quickly.

She left.

…

"CHAOS!" she yelled out.

Her soft feet marched up the stair case, eventually bringing her to the Master Emerald's midst. Hand meeting her face, she wiped clean the visage she was currently wearing. Her call melted away, and she took see near the Master Emerald. Her back laid upon it, and she gripped tightly onto one of her dreads. Hand dragging alongside it, she started to murmur lowly.

She felt embarrassed, honestly. Even though she didn't understand why, it didn't make the feeling any less powerful. Her heart was racing. Each thump, pounded against her chest. Grabbing it, she tried to lower the feeling. Eventually it did, but not after a few seconds. By the time she felt her blood settle, she noticed the aqua creäture before her.

"Chaos..." she whispered, hand reaching forward.

The water deity did nothing, and allowed her to touch his aquatic skin. His cold body brought her to comfort, and she sighed happily.

"I'm fine..." she said, answering his question, "I think I'm... just acting to weird."

His head cocked to one side.

"I'm just confused." she whispered, "So, very confused." she glanced back up, "Who is he? And... why do I feel so weird? It's like I'm scared but... I'm not supposed to be scared."

She brought close her legs, where her lithe arms hugged close her knees. Slowly, she brought down her head, and laid her chin upon her knees. Still confused, Chaos was, as he knelt down to be near her. Lifting his liquid arm, he dragged it across her cheek. Where she would usually gaze up to him, she instead retained her glare on nothing.

"I don't like him, Chaos," she whispered, eyes closing instead, "Every time I get near him. My skin crawls. There's... something about him. Something I just don't trust."

As she continued to sulk, wayward footsteps echoed about.

Almost immediately, Chaos dropped, fading away into a puddle, as usual. Tikal stood from the Master Emerald then, as her blue eyes scanned the area around her. Eyes moving up, she took note of the individual Chaos Emeralds, which all lied at the top of columns, surrounding the Master Emerald. Moving her eyes down, she saw the maker of the noise.

Well. Sorta.

A cloaked being walked forward. Said beings head moved left and right, scanning close the area. As soon as his gaze moved over to Tikal, she ducked down, avoiding his stare.

"Good..." said being whispered, "No echidnas here..."

He gripped his cloak, and moved it back. To Tikal's surprise, it was another echidna.

"Marauders..." she whispered.

The echidna in question stepped forward, laying his hand upon the column before him. Giving a devilish smirk, he moved his hand into his cloak, and once it returned, it revealed a weapon. It looked like a lizard had crawled in his hand and died in a 'C' shape, from how weird it looked. Tikal was confused by the thing in his hand, but she knew it was bad.

Once again, his head turned up to her, causing her to bend back.

"Okay boys," he said, waving about the weapon in his hand, "Let's get moving. I hear the Knuckles Tribe have a guardian for these things, so I recommend we work quickly."

Tikal had to think on his words. Boys? What boys? Peering over the edge of the balcony, she saw what boys. From the shadows, many other cloaked beings appeared. In each and every one of their hands, that same freaky weapon she had seen before. What were those things, and where did they come from? But, more importantly, why were marauders here?

The one from before, the one she figured was leading the group, lifted up his weapon. Placing his cloak back on his head, she saw him smirk just briefly. He aimed his weapon at one of the Chaos Emerald columns.

It fired.

A green blast launched from the strange weapon, and slammed into the side of the column. A loud explosion was sent out, and the column fell down. Tikal, whose eyes were closed at the sight of the explosion, glared forth once the sound subsided. To her horror, she saw the marauders take the purple Chaos Emerald that lied on the column. The leader then shifted his gaze to another column, this one holding the blue Chaos Emerald.

The orange echidna couldn't believe it. The marauders were attacking them! Sure, this has happened before, but never directly at their city. Normally, the attacks would happen in the middle of fields, or somewhere distant. Never like this. Never like this. She needed to do something.

"STOP!" she roared, ceasing the marauders' actions.

In unison, all of the cloaked beings looked up to the echidna staring down upon them. Despite all the fear she was feeling, she still stood tall before them.

"Lookie here," the leader said, stepping forward nonchalantly, "If it isn't Pachacamac's daughter." he removed his hood, to show his angered face, "What are you doing here?"

"Protecting the Emeralds!" she yelled.

"Protecting the Emeralds?" he said with a shrug, "Oh! You mean these things?"

He suddenly started laughing, as if the woman before him had made a joke. It didn't take long for that laugh to fade away, however.

"Listen girl," he said, dementedly, "I recommend you stave off, less you want to get hurt."

She stepped back.

"Oh, I'm not the one whose getting hurt," she stated, "You are."

Glaring up, she suddenly let out a daunting command.

"CHAOS! ATTACK!"

The ponds around the Master Emerald rippled. As the earth shook, the individual marauders began to fret. It didn't take long for him to appear.

He splashed out, and landed on the steps of the Master Emerald. His emerald eyes shot forward, and let out a most monstrous of roars. After making his position known, the water god grew silent, while began walking slowly forward.

"So," the marauder said, eyes squinting, "This is the guardian we've heard so much about." he smiled, "Goooooooood! I've wanted to see what these things do against them."

A strange clicking noise resonated from the weapon in is hand. It started shaking then, and flashed a red. The mere sight of it caused him to smile. And then, he thrusted forth the weapon in his hand. Once again, it launched out this green blast, but it was bigger this time. The bolt of energy slammed into the Chaos' body.

He exploded.

Left and right, water was thrown. Tikal felt the liquid drench her foe. Almost immediately, she started to fret. That wasn't supposed to happen? In fact, how did that happen!?

"Was that all?" the echidna before her said, "Really? Oh well..." looking over to his allies, he gave a quick head nod, "Continue with gaining the Chaos Emeralds. I'll deal with the girl."

In unison, they nodded back. The echidna before her stared back, and started to approach her dauntingly. At the same time, Tikal started to walk back. In all honesty, she was a great fighter. It was natural for all echidnas in the tribe to be so. But she hated to fight, it was just so wrong. Regardless of if she wanted to fight or not, she felt the urge to protect herself diminish. That thing that lied in his hand, was able to make Chaos _exploded_. What would it do to her.

"Just stand still," he said, "It'll happen quickly."

Once again, the item in his hand started to change red. As it shook with power it could barely hold, he aimed the weapon forward. Before he shot it out, however, he moved down his cloak. And then, it fired.

The green bolt flew forward, cutting air and sound as it traveled. Tikal moved her hands up, as she let out terrified scream.

This was it, she felt. In slow motion, she saw her life flash before her eyes. She was sure, that this was the end. She couldn't dodge it, the blast was too fast, and seeing what it did to Chaos, she was sure it was over. And yet, she couldn't think about much. All she saw, were those ruby, violent, eyes.

_PWEEEE!_

That noise was awkward.

A large explosion echoed far away. Tikal could feel the earth rumble because of it. Surely, she was supposed to be dead, so why wasn't she. Slowly, her blue eyes opened, allowing her to look forward.

She saw black.

"Attacking those weaker than you," she heard _him_ state, "That's just pathetic."

The echidna before them gave a confused look, as the hedgehog stood tall. He had appeared out of nowhere, the hedgehog did. A black blur that appeared from the wind. No, a black blur that _was_ the wind.

"Tikal," Shadow whispered, not turning to face her, "Stay behind me..."

"Chaos..." she answered, "They hurt Chaos."

The hedgehog scoffed.

"I know..."

"Who are you!?" the marauder yelled, demanding an answer, "And how did you deflect that blast!? It's supposed to burn through anything!"

But Shadow would not give him such pleasure. At speeds no one could see, he reappeared before the marauder. The echidna stepped back surprised, as the movement caught him off guard. After he finally got his footing correct, his chin met Shadow's fist.

The attack was powerful, to say the least. Shadow's punch literally knocked the marauder away, and down the stairs. He tumbled down violently, before crashing at the grounds below. The black and red hedgehog neared the edge of the Master Emerald pedestal, as his ruby eyes glared down upon his foes.

"What are you waiting for!?" the marauder roared, "Kill him!"

Shadow was surprised, honestly. How that echidna remained conscious after the hit was a testament to his peoples training. Or maybe, Shadow was just a bit weaker. Either explanation was good.

The cloaked marauders ran up. At first, they peered down, but then, they glared up. Looking at Shadow, they aimed forth the weapons in their hands.

"Where did you get guns from..." he whispered to himself.

"Guns?" Tikal questioned, running up to his backside, "What are guns?"

Suddenly, she felt Shadow's arm wrap around her. His hand reached down, and gripped tightly around her stomach. She gasped at the sudden touch, but screamed when she was suddenly in the air. Shadow leaped up high, as green bolts from the marauder's guns darted around in the sky around them. With expert skills, he dodged the individual attacks, all the while carrying Tikal in his arms. She felt gravity rush in different ways, as he spun them around to avoid the attacks.

Finally, they landed, right on the bridge before the Master Emerald altar. Shadow laid Tikal on the ground, while his fingertips began to surge with chaotic energies. Glancing toward the enemies before him, he suddenly moved his eyes down.

"Stay... down..." he ordered.

She nodded.

Things happened in slow motion next. As his gaze moved up, she saw the burning sensation in his eyes. It was like, he was made for battle. His powerful palm thrusted forward, and a yellow bolt of chaos launched out.

"CHAOS SPEAR!" he roared.

An explosion echoed out. Tikal covered her eyes, as dust particles were launched her way. At the same time, Shadow dropped down, to cover her body entirely. She felt the earth shake under his arms, but oddly enough, she felt safe at the same time. He felt so warm right now, so warm against her. She felt so protected.

Finally, the dust subsided. Tikal's eyes opened, so she could take in the sight of the destruction. A great scorch mark lay on the Master Emerald Altar stairs, but the grounds was relatively clean. But that wasn't the worried them. The marauders. All of them were gone. Where could they go so quickly?

Behind them, the great doors to the Master Emerald opened. She heard people run in, with one voice being all to familiar.

"Tikal!" her father called out, "Tikal where are you!?"

"Chief?" she replied, gazing up.

Shadow's body moved away from her, only so she could feel another pair of arms wrap around her. Gazing up, she saw the closed eyes of her father. He hugged her closely, his powerful limbs increasing in grip. After a few seconds, she did the same.

"Dad..." she whispered.

Her eyes opened. Looking back, she saw the demonic eyes of the Starman glaring back, his arms crossed. She broke free of her father's grasp then. Stepping toward the black and red hedgehog, she kept her eyesight down. Right now, she felt timid before her hero.

"Thank you for... saving me... And the... Chaos Emeralds..."

She looked up. His arms remained cross, and his face indifferent. And yet, he nodded. That one simple nod, made her heart flutter.

"You saved my daughter." Pachacamac stated, causing both to look at him, "Starman... I don't know what to say..."

"I didn't save Tikal for your thanks," he replied, gazing toward her, "Someone had to do it."

She didn't know how to react to his words. Just gazing into his eyes made her silent once again. That fire within his stare was there, but it faded away slowly. Feet moving, he made his way down toward the Master Emerald. And as he did so, someone started chanting.

"All hail the Starman."

At first, it was ignored, but someone started to follow the chant. Louder, and louder, they chanted, 'All hail the Starman.' After a while, he found himself stopping to gaze back. All the echidnas who had arrived chanted the statement, over and over again. All except for one.

Tikal just looked forward in stunned silence. He glanced away.

"Chaos..." he called out, "Chaos!"

Water began to pool, and he noticed green eyes gazing back. He was weak, the hedgehog could tell, but he was very much alive. Shadow nodded at the sight, and Chaos made his way back to the Master Emerald's pools, so he could heal.

Shadow began walking again, but his foot clashed against something on the ground. He looked down quickly, seeing the gun that the marauder's were holding. He crouched down and grabbed it. It was heavy in his hand, and otherworldly in design. Shadow laid his hand on his head.

"Now... where did you come from?" he questioned aloud to himself.

He would get no answer, of course, and that made him angry. For now, he would think, and return. His body was screaming at him, for the battle was harder on him than he imagined. Yeah, he was tired.

So, standing tall, he shifted his gaze back to the many groups of chanting echidnas.

* * *

_Trivia Time!_

_Yeah, I know their supposed to be rare, but people tend to enjoy them so, why the hell not?_

_As you can tell, or at least I believe you can tell, the plot's beginning to pick up. When I write, I usually gaze upon the first three chapters to be my intro chapters. Then again, I just like to write, so that can't get all kinds of muddy. Regardless, I'm beginning to ramble so... let me explain things!_

_I want to talk about the Marauders. If you don't know who they are, then they will be described in the future, of course. I mean, why were they attacking the emerald shrine like that? But that's not what I want to talk about! What I want to talk about are their guns! Yeah! The guns! Why? Well, in my head, the guns are called maulers. No, no, no, you won't find them on any Sonic wiki. Buuuuuut, if you take a look at the Perfect Dark wiki, you'll find them. It's just an in joke, honestly. I just wanted to use a weapon that was otherworldly and none familiar. Don't go thinking Skedar or Maians are going to be popping up. For those who don't know, by the way, Skedar and Maians are aliens that appear in Perfect Dark. Anyway, the maulers are weapons in the game that shoot lasers. They also have the ability to charge up shots, and make them into one hit kills. _

_But enough silliness aside. I hope you all are enjoying this. From what I see, this is the fastest story of mine to date. What I mean, by the way, is that it has gotten a lot of views quickly. Honestly, I'm surprised. I just want more reviews. Yeah, I'm a review whore, so what? By the by, I hope you don't mind me asking, you want this story to be more actiony, or romantic? Just a question._

_Anyway... Till the next chapter!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	5. Protection

Protection

"DAMMIT!" he roared out.

His angered call went against the heavens, as he stumbled along the cold mountain ridge. There was no one here with him. He was all alone. His body, brittle after the battle he endured. Yes, he _endured_. That was no fight, that was a massacre. The Master Emerald only has _one_ guardian! Who was that black and red guy, and where the hell did he come from?

The albino echidna couldn't believe it. And his new weapons were so perfect too! It should have incinerated him, but it didn't. That being, that _hedgehog_ swatted it out-of-the-way, like it was nothing.

Like _he _was nothing.

He wasn't alone.

Quickly, the albino echidna spun around, his eyes moving about to find his intruder. No one presented him or herself forward, so he felt safe. That is, until, he turned around.

A burning, red, eye. It floated there, in the night sky, its cat-like vision growing tighter.

"What happened, Finitevus." a low, evil, malicious voice, echoed from nowhere, "I thought you had this."

"I did!" the mobian yelled back, "But... I hit a little snag."

"That snag, should have been nothing," the voice continued, "Your weapon worked, did it not?"

"It did!" he retorted, "It even destroyed that blasted water guardian you spoke of, but..." he grew frail, "There was... another."

Suddenly, he felt his throat lag. Falling to his knees, he clamped his hands on his neck, as an invisible force choked him violently.

"There should have been no other!" the voice roared, "There is no reason for your failure!"

Suddenly, the force stopped choking him, allowing him to breathe again. Glaring up, he looked into the burning eye before him.

"I can't explain it," he responded, "This hedgehog. Black fur, red stripes, came out of nowhere! He crushed us! He was no normal being."

But the eye was not pleased with his words. Turning around, it slowly made its way skyward.

"No more failures, Dr. Finitevus," it said, "Get me those Chaos Emeralds. If you don't. It will be _doom_ to pay."

The albino echidna nodded, while he shook his head.

…

Lights, fires, dancing, everywhere. It was already night, so how long could this go on? Was this how parties were like? The only party he'd been to, was the endless parties in Night Babylon, but now I digress.

The Starman, Shadow the hedgehog, and the cause of the party itself, sat perched on a rooftop. Down on the streets below, the echidnas of the Knuckles tribe celebrated the savior of their beloved Master Emerald. So happy, they were, with Shadow's antics, they were treating him like some sort of god. He could still hear them chanting, over and over again, 'All hail the Starman'.

But he cared not for their chants, or dances, he was too busy thinking. He couldn't stay so long, he needed to figure out a way to get home. He could feel his power ebbing away. Sure, he was still strong, the battle earlier that day confirmed that fact, but he was growing steadily weaker. One glance at his inhibitor rings showed why. They were both pretty battered from the fall, but one more so than the other. The ring that lay on his right hand was completely totaled. Continuously, he could feel his powers seep away because of it. If he stayed any longer, and didn't get this fix, then he was sure he'd be powerless soon enough. And if he's powerless, then there would be no way he'd be able to get back to the future, not with the miniscule amount of Chaos Energy he retains. Fortunately enough, a great portion of his energy was still there, but he was unsure how long it would take for it to fade away completely.

To be honest, the thought terrified him. If he gets stuck here, then he'd be forced to _live _through the thousands of years to modern-day. The mere thought of living like that, knowing what's going to happen but not being allowed to do anything because he could screw time, made his mind churn. He wasn't just going to find a place to sit for over a thousand years!

"Starman?"

The call shook him clean of his thoughts. Honestly, he needed that, because he didn't want to sit here all night. A brief distraction was good.

"How'd you get up here?" he questioned, eyes continuing to look down.

"I climbed..." she answered easily, causing the hedgehog to mentally kick himself.

"Yeah..." he responded, "I forgot... your people enjoy doing that..."

Finally, he gained the idea to look at her. The orange echidna looked into his red eyes, with her blue ones. Hand clamping down on her chest, she grew frail, and looked away. He squinted at the sight, as his arms released themselves.

"What are you doing here?" he inquired, causing her to glance forward.

"Uh... I didn't get the chance to thank you properly..." she stated, looking down, "Thank you, Shadow for... saving me... I'm forever in your debt. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Die..." he said easily, locking her up.

"What?" she responded.

"You would have died," he said, turning away, "You were like a dear caught in headlights. You didn't try to dodge or anything."

Though she didn't understand his comparison, she knew what he meant. She was being weak, earlier that day.

"You can't keep believing Chaos or I will save you." he stated easily, "But, more importantly," he glanced back to her, "Why didn't you try to defend yourself?"

She hid her hands behind her back, as she felt her body grow weak under his glare. A scoffing noise that came from him made her straighten up, however.

"Figures..." he responded.

"I don't like fighting." she finally answered, "It's... wrong..."

"Wrong?" he responded, pressing the subject, "What's so wrong with protecting yourself?"

"It's not protecting yourself that's wrong," she said, "It's the fighting. I wish I didn't have to fight, in order to protect myself."

"But when there's no other way, what do you do then?"

Well, that gained her silence. She looked to her feet, while the noise of his footsteps echoed. Somehow, that got her thinking. She had never thought about things in that light, honestly. What does one do when they can't talk their way out of a confrontation? Fight, she supposed but. She just couldn't accept that! The thought of fighting was so detestable! So wrong! So vile! So evil!

"There's always another way," she said, accessing this latent vigor, "You may enjoy fighting, but that doesn't mean its necessary. It's... evil, and people only get hurt."

He didn't make a response, or a retort. He just continued glaring down upon the streets, scanning the happy faces of all the dancing echidnas. Tikal felt angered by his sudden shift in demeanor. Was he really going to ignore her? She wasn't expecting things to unfold this way. Only thing she wanted to do, was say thank you, and he ended up making it into a case study on fighting, and the necessities of it. Though she wouldn't say it out loud, she would think it. He was a demon. For only demon's enjoy things that are evil.

Somewhere along the way, she bowed. It was less a sign of thanks, however, and more a formality. She didn't want to bow before him, but she was supposed to. For as soon as she stood, she left. Her hands and feet brought her down the side of the rooftop, and back down to her dancing people.

"You really think fighting is evil?"

She leaped in fear. Pressing her back against the building she just climbed down, she glared away toward the voice. He was there again, looking at her. His overbearing demeanor had faded away, it seemed, and instead he looked more composed. That evil glare looked stable, and less violent.

"How did you...?" she whispered.

He waved his hand, however, ending her questions. Walking forward, he instead laid his hand on her shoulder.

"You really think fighting is evil?"

"I... I don't think... I know it is..."

"But protecting oneself, or protecting others is good, right?"

"Yes..."

He nodded silently, and grew closer. Tikal became a bit frizzled, as she felt his body heat come in contact with her's. What was he doing?

She would never get an answer. His body soon left hers, and he moved silently into the many thralls of partying echidnas. Tikal really had no idea what happened. She leaned against the wall again, and traveled her blue eyes over into the party. All that rage she felt toward him floated away then, much to her inner surprise.

Once again, for the second time that day, she felt her heart flutter.

"Shadow!" she called, walking forward.

She gripped onto his hand, stopping him from moving any further. As excepted, he looked at her with a questioning glance.

"What are you talking about?" she inquired, "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean, by what?" he responded, answering her question with a question.

"Do you... not find violence as evil?" she instead asked, continuing the string.

"I find it to be necessary..." he said flatly.

He was done talking now, she realized this. Many echidnas swarmed him only a second later, and continued to chant their victorious chant.

_All hail the Starman, _over and over again.

Tikal watched them lead him away, her eyes locked steadily forward. Just like last time, they saw red, gazing back.

…

She made her way calmly up the staircase. The black scorch mark caused by Shadow's Chaos Spear was still there. Surely, it will be dealt with as time flows by, but for now, it will remain. She moved her blue eyes left and right, scanning the destroyed edges of the Chaos Emerald columns. They still floated at the top, despite the poor condition of their poles. Tikal couldn't help but to smile at the sight, finding it beautiful how they still floated around the Master Emerald.

Feeling the touches of her chao surround her, she smiled even more. None of them were injured in the battle yesterday, much to her pleasure. Most importantly, Chaos was okay. At the top of the Master Emerald Altar he sat, dragging his aquatic limbs down the sides of the Chao around him. Once he noticed Tikal's frame, however, he straightened himself up.

"Calm down, Chaos," she said, grabbing a hold of the chao before her, "Everything's alright."

He nodded weakly, as he returned to sitting. His friend, feeling a bit lonely, decided to take a seat directly beside him. They said nothing, and merely gazed before them, to the sprawling city they called home.

The silence that floated between them was a good one. Times like this were just so far and few between. But she needed to end this. Glancing to Chaos, she gave a sadden glare. The water god could always tell when she was hurt, so he lent his ear.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

His head shook, however, ending her words.

"I really do care!" she responded.

His green eyes started shining.

"Okay, okay... fine..." she responded, "Maybe I am being a bit..."

She didn't finish her words. Instead, she closed her eyes, and huffed in deeply. As her eyesight stirred in the darkness of her mind, she kept seeing demonic red eyes glaring back. It made her speak.

"I can't explain it, Chaos." she whispered, hand finding her dreads, "I keep thinking about him for some reason. He makes me think. And it scares me." she looked over to her aquatic friend, "Yesterday, those people destroyed you and yet... he saved me. And then, last night, he talked to me as if I was being wrong for not trying to protect myself."

Her blue glance moved over to him.

"Was I being wrong?"

Chaos' liquid blue limb brushed up along her cheek, calming her down just a bit. She gave out a sigh from the touch, finding it hard to think straight. She felt so unsure of herself and... and...

The stone doors from to the Master Emerald Altar opened. Immediately, the orange echidna froze up, while her watery friend transformed into a mere puddle. Footsteps cleared the way down the bridge, and finally up to the altar steps. She gazed at her intruder. He gazed back.

"Starman..." she whispered.

The black and red hedgehog crossed his arms, those eyes becoming deathly indifferent. Despite all that's happened, she felt an overwhelming sense of fear and dread come from him. She wanted to crawl away, but she knew things could only get worse if she did. So she merely gazed at him.

"How did you find your way here?" she questioned, her heart racing in her chest.

He didn't answer her at first, and instead moved forward to the Master Emerald. Laying his hands on the great jewel, he closed his eyes and sighed in deeply. He felt rejuvenated as he stood near the Master Emerald, as if his Chaos Powers were being refilled. His ruby eyes opened forth.

Slowly, he turned around, and faced Tikal. She remained just as stunned as before. A snap of his finger gained his attention.

"So you're the Master Emerald guardian?" he questioned.

"Me!" she stated, and quite loudly, in fact, "No... Chaos is the guardian."

The hedgehog's ruby eyes moved down to one of the Master Emerald's ponds. A rippling echoed out, and somehow, that made Tikal giggle.

"He says he likes you." she stated.

"You can understand him?" the hedgehog responded.

"Yes, Shadow. He wants to thank you for protecting the Master Emerald yesterday."

"I know how important it is," the hedgehog answered, "I just can't let it fall into the wrong hands."

Another noise echoed from the pond, and Tikal bowed for some reason.

"He thanks you for that, Shadow."

"Don't mention it." he responded flatly.

His ruby eyes moved down to his crossed hands. More specifically, he scanned close his busted inhibitor ring. He could still feel his powers leave him.

"Who are you?" she questioned.

Her sudden words brought his eyes up, and he looked to her. She had become so serious so quickly, much to his surprise. He didn't show it however, and merely uncrossed his arms to show she had his attention.

"Who are you?" she repeated, "I mean... you've done things I've never seen before. You move so fast, and you fight unlike any being I've ever seen before. And..." she gripped his hand, forcing it open, "You make things out of your hands, using Chaos Energy," she looked up into his eyes, "How do you do it? How do you fight like that? Just... who are you? Are you really a gift from the gods? Or are you something else?"

"I'm Shadow the hedgehog," he commented, looking away, "Nothing more... nothing less..."

"There's got to be a reason why you're here," she said, "Why else would you fall from the sky, like you did?"

"It's just the circumstances of the events," he answered, "There's nothing fantastic about it."

But she wouldn't accept that fact. Here this hedgehog, this very mystical hedgehog, stood before her. And he referred to everything he's just done, as nothing fantastic. But it is fantastic, she knew it.

Just, who is Shadow the hedgehog.

"I'm sorry if I invaded your space." he commented, arms crossing once more, "I'll make my leave."

Once again, his feet started off. But she wouldn't allow it. She stepped in front of him, stopping him suddenly. Honestly, she had no idea why she had done so, but it was too late to stop now. Glaring upon Shadow, with his echidna tribe clothing, somehow reinvigorated her.

"You know," she whispered, "I can help you with your ring."

She glanced down to his right hand, taking note of the one that was busted.

"I'm not sure you understand the importance of my rings." he answered.

"No, I do." she answered, smiling, "I can tell, Shadow. I'm a lot like you, if you hadn't noticed."

That statement made his eyebrow raise.

"Oh? How so?"

"I can sense Chaos Energy," she stated, and quite easily, "Maybe not as good as some others, but so far, I'm the only one in my city who can do so." she gave a quick curtsey, while her face grew a blush, "And I can tell that your energy is draining out. Slowly, but surely." she looked to his broken inhibitor ring, "I can also tell, that those rings of yours make sure you don't run out."

Her correct inquisition made him glare up at her. Being under his sudden glare, she wilted briefly.

"You've surprised me, Tikal." he stated, "If you can help me find a ring, I'll be in your debt."

In her mind, she was hopping up and down with giddy excitement. But that giddy excitement faded away as soon as the image of her father crept in. She knew she'd have to tell him. This little trip would be impromptu, and if she took it, he would surely be angry. But the way Shadow looked at her right now gained precedence over her father. Right now, his crimson gaze, wasn't an evil one.

It was filled with trust.

"Where do we need to go?" he questioned.

She pointed off near the mountain ridge.

"Just beyond your crash site. But we need to be careful. The land there can be filled with marauders some times."

The hedgehog raised and lowered his shoulders.

"They shouldn't be a problem." he reassured.

He turned away slowly, and traveled his ruby eyes on the horizon. Tikal wavered a bit, before swallowing the spit in her mouth. Facing one of the Master Emerald ponds, she whispered out,

"Chaos! Protect the Master Emerald, I'm going to be gone for a while."

She gained a reaction immediately, in the form of rising bubbles.

"Don't worry." she stated, "I'll be safe."

He wasn't pleased with her words, but he accepted it. For now, at least. She started down the Emerald Altar seconds later. Her ears twitched. Taking a quick look out the corner of her eye, she noticed Shadow was following steadily behind. He didn't notice it, but she gave a quick smirk.

…

Her hand reached the edge. Finally, after what felt like hours, she was able to reach the top. Pulling herself up, she sent her blue eyes to scan the plateau. Just as she remembered it to be, it was filled with grass and beautiful flowers. She gave a heartfelt smile at the sight, as her heart fluttered once more. This place.

"Tikal..." he called.

She glanced down. The black and red hedgehog returned her gaze with a glare, as his arms were crossed over one another. Despite the fact that they hung high on a mountain side, he appeared to be relatively calm and composed. She sat herself up on the mountain edge because of it, and gazed down toward him.

"For someone who's not an echidna," she said, "You really know how to climb, Starman."

His face melted into a brief scowl, before he looked off.

"Are we any closer?" he questioned.

"Yes, Shadow," she said, eyes growing half closed, "We are."

Immediately, she slipped into the plateau, falling onto a bed of flowers and such. She smiled thanks to the feeling of the flowers ruffling her fur. But then her body was covered by a shade, making her eyes open. Glaring down upon her, like a hawk, was Shadow. She covered his image with her hand, and he moved away from her. Now he stood beside her, as she continued to lie down.

"My grandmother used to bring me up here." she closed her eyes, "All the time, before the pathway up the mountain was covered by my father. We used to enjoy just being up here, picking flowers, and talking. She taught me many things, Starman." she opened her eyes finally, "Do you have someone like that? In the heavens? Someone who taught you a lot of things?"

He glared off.

"Let's stop wasting time." he answered.

She got up to her feet moments later, just to stare at his resolute backside. Cocking her head to the side, she wondered why he got so defensive so suddenly. Regardless, she nodded to his order.

Her feet brought them farther and farther away from the verdant plateau, and instead to a rocky hillside. It seemed as if this pathway had been spared her father's destruction, as faded footmarks could still be seen, trekking through the grey area. The sound of rushing water echoed far off in the distance, as the smell of crashing waves floated through the air. Tikal found her nose wiggling to the smell, and she started to wonder if Shadow was sniffing as well. Taking a quick glance at the hedgehog, however, revealed him to be as stoic as usual. She wondered if he had any other expression, other than that eternal glare.

A few more miles eventually brought them to their destination. A shimmering cove that existed on the side of the mountain. A quick glance around showed that they were surrounded by the rocky mounds. Some stretched up so high, that their tops were covered in clouds. Tikal was enamored by the sight, and she wondered if Shadow was too. But, just as before, a quick glance in his direction revealed that same stoic, indifferent face.

"You don't have much fun, do you?" she questioned.

"I don't have time to have fun." he responded, ruby eyes glaring at her, "And I recommend we hurry."

Tikal's head cocked at the first half of his statement.

_I don't have time to have fun_. That just ran about in her mind, over and over again. She couldn't help but to say something about it.

As the hedgehog stepped forward toward the cliff's edge, just so he could get a better view of the cove, Tikal opened her mouth.

"I pity you then..."

It caused his ears to twitch. Once again, Tikal found herself to be fretting. In her mind, she screamed and cried, wondering what kind of punishment could befall her, thanks to her words. But the Starman did nothing. He continued to glare over the cliff side, as his shoulders slumped forward.

"How are we getting inside?" he suddenly questioned.

Tikal was so paranoid, she didn't hear him at first. But after a few seconds, she returned to reality.

"We'll glide inside." she stated.

"Glide?" he inquired, looking at her.

"Yes, glide." she said walking up beside him, "We'll glide in. It's easy."

"I'm afraid I can't do that." he answered, "Not without my air shoes."

For some reason, Tikal began to smile. She felt, as if, she could do something that the amazing Starman couldn't do. Her smile faded away immediately, once Shadow looked at her.

"It's easy, Shadow," she said, "Just... spread out your dreads, and let the air hit you."

His gaze grew into a squint. His vision pretty much said, 'I can't do that'. Tikal felt the need to reassure him.

"Look," she said, stepping forth, "Just follow my lead."

He opened his mouth to say something, but it was already to late. Her foot reached over the cliff side, and she fell. Tikal's face brightened up, as she felt air rush past her face and fur. Spreading out wide her hands, she allowed the air currents to hit her in just a certain way. Her eyes opened, she saw the ground rapidly approach her, and smiling, she pulled up. The ground moved away, as the sky seemed to rush up. She twirled in the air, feeling that rush of wind, and then hovered slightly, thanks in part to her opened dreads. She felt so free in the air, spinning and twirling, feeling that exhilarating freedom. She didn't want it to end, not yet at least. But one glance down reminded her why she were here.

Shadow stared at her, arms crossed, stoic demeanor hiding annoyance. She gave an embarrassed smile, as she realized she had forgotten where she was. Dreads spreading out once again, she slowed her descent toward the ground, and landed beside the Starman. He remained silent, however, and kept his stature that way. Tikal, however, looked down to the ground, as she started to drag her hand against her dreads. But when she brought up her face, it wasn't embarrassed or weak, it was sunny and happy.

"See!" she said, "Easy, right?"

But Shadow was less than enthusiastic.

"Listen, Tikal," he responded, "I can't fly like you can. I don't have dreads."

Well, that was one thing he had. All echidnas use their dreads to glide, it was something they learned at a very young age. Gliding just came natural to them. She wasn't sure if Shadow's quills would make a good substitute, however, especially since she has no quills of her own. Would it work, she wondered. Possibly... possibly not. There was only one way she'd figure it out.

"Jump with me." she said, easily enough.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?" he retorted.

She nodded.

"Yes but..." she felt so sure of herself, "Jump with me."

His face hardened.

"I promise... nothing wrong will happen." she pointed off toward the cove, "Jump with me."

She stepped for the cliff's edge once more. Looking down, she saw her reflection in the water below. It didn't take long for her reflection to be joined by another's. Shadow stepped forth, arms crossed, ruby eyes glaring forward. Could she do this? Could she really teach someone like him how to glide? Going through her mind, she remembered when her grandmother taught her how to glide. Saying it was hard would be an understatement. Gliding is difficult. But she couldn't help but to smile. If anyone could learn how to glide, then the Starman could.

"Stretch out your hands," she said, "Feel the air rush between you, spread out your quills then..."

"Then... what?" he inquired.

"Then pray to the gods." she giggled.

He squinted to her childishness.

Once again, she neared the edge of the cliff, and this time, leaped off backwards. Shadow's eyes followed her closely, as she fell close to the ground, only to fly back up, whilst saying,

"ITS EASY! TRY IT, SHADOW!"

He shook his head, and uncrossed his arms. Now at the cliff side himself, he glared down to the bottom. If he had his strength, he'd easily run across the water. But damn if that drop from the sky didn't hurt him. The mere thought of running right now made his joints clog up. But that's not what had him thinking. If he missed the water, that is, land on the earth, or in an area too shallow, there's no doubt he'd flatten himself like a pancake. And let's be honest, he had no intentions of doing that anytime soon.

"Damn you..." he said, glaring at his busted inhibitor ring.

His mind was set. He took in a deep breath. He glared off to the sky. And then he glared at the nubile echidna girl. She was frolicking like an angel in the air. He couldn't help but to groan.

Then he leaped.

His arms and legs were spread, as he fell through the rushing air. Wind blew through his fur and quills, as the earth made its way up to him. What was it Tikal said? Spread out his quills? Gazing up, he saw that his quills were, indeed, spread. Then what was her other order? Oh yeah, pray to the gods. Seems he forgot to do that, as he was not moving up right now at all.

He tried pulling up, but that wasn't happening. He tried moving, but that only made his free fall worse, as now he was falling back first. He could see Tikal still flying in the air, as her hands clamped onto her mouth. And then?

Water.

He splashed into the deep, blue lake, watching bubbles flow up, as sunlight beamed down. Immediately, he swam to the top of the lake, and gasped for air. After shaking his head clear of the fall, he could hear giggles echo from beyond the waterfall. The next thing he knew, he had Tikal's shade casting over him.

She hovered just above the water, hands over mouth, while she giggled constantly.

"Sorry, Starman," she said, "It seems I'm not so good a teacher."

He gave a squint at her statement.

"You find this funny, don't you?" he asked.

"Well..." she responded.

Suddenly, Shadow's hand gripped tightly onto her ankle, and he pulled her down. Falling underwater, she felt that special rush over take her. The lake was beautiful up top, but underneath the surface, it was like a different world. Fish, plant life, and rock formations, all hung underground, while sunlight splashed upon them. She glared up then, and saw Shadow gazing upon her. She didn't know if he got any joy in breaking her to the water alongside him, as his face was hard and stoic, as usual. She swam up to the lakes surface, spat out water that filled into her mouth, then gazed upon the hedgehog before her. All of the childishness she had, faded away, as he looked upon his wet face. Though he looked just as annoyed as always, she felt like he was, different.

Very different.

"Shadow..." she whispered.

Suddenly, his hand found her mouth. She was surprised at first, but Shadow's hand clamped down even harder. His ruby eyes moved up, and soon, so did her's. On the cliff side, the one they were just on, were cloaked beings.

"Hurry up you lot!" she heard one bark, "It'll take all day to get there."

Tikal couldn't believe it. That was the same voice belonging to the echidna that attacked her yesterday. Funny really, she couldn't remember his face all to well, but that voice was hard to forget. Really hard.

"Great..." Shadow whispered, "He's here..."

"What is he doing here?" she answered.

"Just be quiet," he ordered, "I don't want him knowing where we are."

"MOVE!" the echidna roared, "WE DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!"

Shadow's eyes squinted, as he scanned closely the items they held. More guns, he could tell, but these were different. His hands pushed forward, and he started to swim.

"Where are you going?" Tikal whispered, stopping him in his tracks.

"I'm going to destroy them." he answered.

"What? No!" she yelled, "What have they done to you?"

"Really?" he responded, "Is that pacifist nature of yours really trying to hold me back?"

"Shadow, they've done nothing! Not yet!"

"But they will," he retorted, "Now find a place to hide." he turned away, "Unless you want to learn a lesson in fighting."

Suddenly, he dived down, disappearing before the waves. Tikal felt pressured. She wanted to stop him, but she knew anything that entails marauders couldn't be good.

The water exploded.

Powerful waves threw Tikal back, as a geyser erupted straight up. But it was no geyser, it was Shadow. In a perfectly round ball, he flew through the air, before landing on the mountain path that held the marauders. One marauder in particular recognized him immediately.

"Dammit, not you again!" he seethed.

The black hedgehog stood tall, as he clenched his fists.

"Who are you?" he barked, despite the many folds of cloaked beings, "And what do you want?"

The leader removed his hood, revealing the albino echidna that was seen the day before. With red eyes, he peered at the hedgehog before him, as his hand reached into his pocket.

"Ya'know," he said, "You really surprised me yesterday. I wasn't expecting someone like you to show up."

"Well you got me..." he answered stepping forward.

The white furred echidna looked up, his face trained forward. Shadow took a battling pose himself, as he waited for his foe to move first.

"What are you waiting for!" the albino yelled, "GET HIM!"

All the cloaks in the area then diverged on Shadow's position. The hedgehog scoffed, before leaping up high. In the air, he scanned how many foes he had. Not counting the albino, there were six. Not too much, but wasn't sure what was under purple garbs of theirs. For now, he'd need to be cautious.

Finally he landed. The cloaks withdrew those strange alien guns from the other day, and started firing. Just as before, Shadow dodged the attacks. Green bolts went left and right, all failing to touch skin of any kind. Well, almost. Shadow could feel some of them graze his skin. The feeling made him grunt. He was getting sloppy.

Ducking behind a rock formation, he withdrew the gun he confiscated off the albino echidna yesterday. After checking to see if it was in good condition, or what he believed to be good condition, he rushed out. His own gun returned fire over the hillside, causing lasers to echo. One cloaked being got hit, and was thrown back into the wall. Oddly enough, Shadow heard no cry for pain. In fact, he heard nothing. The being just sorta... died. The hedgehog would have thought harder on it, but he was too busy dodging lasers and living.

"DAMMIT!" he heard that albino echidna roar, "HE'S ONE HEDGEHOG! KILL HIM!"

Shadow was getting annoyed by this. But, with each passing moment, he felt his power ebb away. He really needed to end this, or else he'd topple over.

One cloaked being appeared right beside him, much to his surprise. The hedgehog struck him with an uppercut, however, sending him falling over the cliff side. Once again, the being made no cries. Another figure to his right. Shadow struck with a hard kick to the chest. Thanks to the sandals he wore, he could feel the force of his foot hitting the enemy. It felt like.

Metal.

Regardless, the foe slammed into the cliff side, sending a seismic quake. This quake caused rocks to fall and fall. Before Shadow knew it, he had a great rock slide on his hands.

"NO! GET AWAY!" he heard that albino yell.

The cliff continued to quake, as more rocks fell to the earth. The cloaked figures were crushed under the falling rocks, save for the white furred echidna.

"Again!?" he yelled, angrily, as rocks fell toward him, "I was beat again!?"

Shadow wanted to deal with his foe, but he couldn't. The falling rocks gained authority over everything. As he dodged them deftly, he felt his muscles tense and lock.

"No..." he grumbled, feeling his body slow down, "Not now..."

One rock hit him on the head. Fortunately, he kept his consciousness, but the blow slowed him down. Falling on his knees, he felt his body being covered by a shade. His head glanced up, only to see a boulder. A great, large, boulder.

"Shadow!" he heard Tikal call.

He looked up. She was on the mountain edge, gazing to the falling bolder. Right now, Shadow wanted to wring her neck dry. He looked back up. There was no way he'd be able to dodge that, _and _save her. Not without some help. Not without...

"CHAOS CONTROL!"

…

"AH!" Tikal screamed out.

Her eyes closed shut. She was ready to feel that crushing pain. But instead, all she felt, was warmth. Her blue eyes opened slowly. The air was cold, save for the embrace she lied within. Bringing her eyes up, she realized she was in a cove. The water rushed beside her, as the dark ceiling lied above her. She looked down.

There was Shadow.

He wasn't moving though, and his eyes were closed shut.

And. She was in his arms. His warm. Strong. Stoic arms. Why was he holding her close? And, what happened? Was she not just outside, waiting for this great boulder to crush her? Then how did she get inside?

And why was Shadow holding her.

His arms were wrapped around her waist with a touch so slender. She felt safe in his arms too. So safe. So.

Wrong.

She pulled herself from his hold. He didn't toil or anything, and remained just as silent. Though she opened her mouth to ask if he was okay, his sudden breath silenced her. He was alive, fortunately, but he was weak. One look at his body cemented that fact.

There was nowhere she could go right now. She wasn't sure if the marauders were still outside, and even if they weren't there would be no way she'd get back to the city carrying Shadow on her shoulders. She wasn't strong enough for that.

So, getting on her knees, she decided to wait. She knelt down near Shadow, lifted his head, and laid it upon her lap. Just like that time she covered his wounds, his face looked so calm and composed. Free of the anger, free of the pain.

Free of the violence.

She started to toil her finger in his quills.

This was the worst idea she had in a while. And yet, she couldn't help but to think. Think about Shadow's arms. Wrapped around her. Holding her safe.

Wait. What?

* * *

_Trivia Time... wooo-hooo..._

_Well, I didn't except this chapter to be long. Makes me wonder, ya'know. Do you guys like long chapters? You all know me though, I guess I enjoy writing long chapters._

_Anywhosers, this is Trivia Time, the point in time in which I describe things. First thing first, Dr. Finitevus. Yeah, you know him, right? He's that albino cyber echidna in the Archie Sonic comics. He's sorta like Knuckles' version of Dr. Robotnik. To be honest, I think I'm the first person to throw him in a fanfic. Maybe. I don't know. Anyway, Dr. Finitevus, for those who don't know, is sorta like a genius, zealot, religious, madman. He's just so hard to explain though. He's tried to erase the world by making Knuckles into this demi-god called Enerjak, and then once that was done, he was going to mold it in his own image. Honestly, Dr. Finitevus is a weird person indeed. I needed a villain close to the echidna's for this tale, and since I didn't want to make some OC or something, I decided to pull him straight from the comics. Honestly, I like him._

_And the one more thing. The name of the city, Cielo Isla. Yes, I know it means heaven island, and it supposed to be isla de Cielo, or Isla de Angel. Let me dispel the confusion, so everyone can be happy. Okay. I wanted Angel Island in Spanish. I typed it in Google translate. Google translate told me angel is spelled ángel in Spanish Makes sense, but I didn't want to use ángel. If I called the city ángel isla, then everyone would know the city is obviously called Angel Island. I wanted to change that up a bit. One other way to say angel in Spanish from what translate told me, was Cielo. I liked the way Cielo sounded, and figured it was different enough from ángel that people won't notice it. And yes, I know it should be written out as isla de Cielo, but I just called it Cielo Isla. Why?... Why not? I really don't know why, I just like Cielo Isla more.  
_

_Now, I hope that helps in any way. I know it will for me. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. You can see things are... well, heating up. Heh heh heh._

_Prepare for trouble! And make it double!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	6. Inhibitions

Inhibitions

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

The stalagmites on the ceiling constantly oozed liquids, creating the only noise she currently heard. The stream of water beside them had grown oddly quiet, though she was not sure if this was because of its own doings, or if she was just getting used to it. Light had faded away by now, showing that the day had already passed.

And yet he had not yet awoken.

Tikal felt her body stir, as shivers passed through her. Every time she felt her eyes waver, they would spring back open, thanks in part to the chilled air. Funny, really. All the times she came into this place, not once did she ever feel so cold. Not until now.

The hedgehog that lay on her lap had not moved. He remained just as before. Eyes closed, mouth agape, breaths long and soft. Tikal had already forgone playing with his quills, as she instead focused on the predicament they were in.

Far away from the city, stuck in a cave with a great lake outside, Chaos wouldn't answer her calls, and she held a sleeping demigod in her arms. In her mind, she couldn't help but to think about how absurd this all was.

"Oh Tikal," she whispered to herself, "What have you gotten yourself into?"

She gave weak whimper after that, as her eyes closed shut. She really wanted to go to sleep, but she knew the dangers if she did so. If a marauder made his or her way inside of here, and found her cradling this weakened hedgehog while asleep herself, what would happen to them? Honestly, the thought terrified her. So, in order to keep that scenario from playing out, she remained vigilant.

But vigilance can last for so long.

"Shadow..." she cooed softly, eyes closing shut, "Shadow please wake up..."

Her desperate command fell on death ears, as he didn't move in the slightest. She knew that would happen, but that didn't stop her from sighing regardless. Once again, she brought her naked orange fingers to his quills. How different they were, from her dreads. They didn't move as much as her hair did, and stayed valiantly adamant. Even now, as she played with the jagged edges, they would snap back into place as soon as she were finished. Honestly, it made Tikal feel stupid. She tried to teach Shadow how to glide on such immovable objects. If only she knew, they probably wouldn't be in this position.

It was her fault.

"You didn't... listen..."

Immediately, her eyes sprang open. With cold fear, she jerked her blue orbs left and right, searching for the sudden speaker. It took her a minute to realize the speaker lay before her. Moving her blue eyes down, she glared at the crimson ones belonging to a certain Starman.

He looked less than happy, but this was different from his usual scowl. The visage he wore now appeared to be angered, and holding resentment. That face made Tikal wilt.

"Why didn't you listen?" he asked.

Tikal was at a lost for words though. She knew exactly what he was talking about. And it's because of that, she couldn't answer. So instead, she glanced away, as her hands found the cove's floor. Shadow made a scoffing noise, before bringing his head up. Hand reaching to the back of his neck, he cracked a few bones in it, as to make himself a bit more comfortable. It didn't work.

"Are you okay?" she questioned.

He didn't give her an answer. Instead, he looked at one of his hands. Opening and closing it, he confirmed a much held fear within him.

"I'm fine..." he lied.

"Shadow... how did we get in here?" she questioned.

"Chaos Control..." he replied.

"Chaos Control?" she replied, noticing the oxymoron it produced, "But... how is that possible?"

"It doesn't matter..." he answered, body growing frail.

"What do you mean?" she inquired, voice filling itself with hope, "If Chaos Control brought us here, it could bring us back, right?"

"It _could_ bring us back," he repeated, "If I could do it again."

Tikals hopeful attitude melted away, as her hands fell down. Over and over again, he repeated his statement in her head, just so she could get a good grasp of it. It took her a minute before she could properly ask a question.

"What do you mean by _if _you could do it again."

"That's just what I mean," he answered, standing up, "I can't do it again."

She watched him walk over to the cave's walls, and lean up against it. Eyes closing shut, he gave a grunt, while his arms crossed over one another. Tongue finding his lips, he licked them, as his mind formulated a plan. But Tikal couldn't get over the fact that he _couldn't_ do it again. What did he mean?

"Shadow," she whispered, "I don't understand."

He glared up to her. His eyes were burning red, like that time he fought the marauders. She noticed his hands increased their grip on his arms, while his mouth opened to show fangs. His face bent down into anger, while those sharp eyes of his resembled the devils horns.

"I... can't... use... Chaos... Control..." he said slowly, as if she were some stupid person, "My body, can't handle it..."

His forceful attitude made her feel weak. If someone could kill someone with words, then she would definitely be dead right now. She felt this powerful, all-consuming rage, resonate from the hedgehog before her. Surely, his anger was one that was unparalleled. She had seen what he did to those weaker than him, so why hadn't he done something to her yet? It's not like she could stop him if he decided to attack her so, so why hadn't he done so?

Maybe his glare was strong enough. Just gazing into his burning ruby eyes was a fate worse than death.

"Now shut up," he commanded, eyes closing, "While I think of a way out of here..."

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

She had no idea why she stated such words. But it was too late to go back now.

His ruby eyes opened once more, and shot those piercing like blades into her soul. She wilted at the sight, as her face became that of a frightened child. But that bravado within her had not burned away. Instead, it seemed to grow, making her say words she may regret.

"This is all your fault," she repeated, but at a lower volume, "I told you violence brings nothing but unhappiness. When the marauders appeared on the mountain side while we were in the lake, I told you not to fight them, but you did anyway! Now look at us! Stuck in a cove. No one knows where we are at. Yelling at each other..."

The heated rage she held faded away. Laying her fist on her chest, she closed her eyes, while her head moved down.

Anger. She had never felt anger like that. Frustration with her father, yes, but not pure rage. For a brief moment there, she wished she could actually _attack_ Shadow. She _wanted_ to hit him. And she was sure he wanted to do the same.

"I'm sorry," she suddenly said, becoming weak and frail, "It was out of my place to say such words to you," she took a bow, "Please forgive me, Starman."

"Stop calling me that." he order, making her eyes open up, "And stop bowing to me as well."

Taking his order, she leaned up. He was no longer looking at her, and instead to the ground away. Unfolding his arms, he slowly made his way up to her. Tikal felt her heart quake, as she was unsure of his current motives. He stopped right before her, sent his gaze down, and then moved forth his hand.

"Come on," he ordered, "Sitting here won't solve any problems."

"Where are we going?" she responded, her hand grabbing onto his.

"You said a ring like my inhibitor ring lies inside here, right?"

She nodded.

"Good... if we can get one, maybe I'll be able to get us out of here."

"Are you sure?" she asked, "I mean... you're still so weak."

"Not _as_ weak," he commented, "Besides. I doubt anything's in here with us."

For some reason, Tikal felt revitalized by Shadow's words. With a slow motion, he pulled her up to her feet. She patted down her dress slowly, before returning her gaze to his. His gaze appeared to be different from usual. Instead of that burning demonic glare, here lay this different stare. His crimson eyes became so alluring somehow because of his shift in demeanor. She found her blue orbs trekking up and down the red sights of his eyes. And then she found herself. Her own reflection, gleaming in his own eyes.

"Tikal..." he whispered, breaking her free of her self-imposed trance, "Are you okay?"

She suddenly blushed. Turning around, she tried to hide the embarrassed red on her face. Hopefully, he hadn't noticed it.

"I'm sorry," she stated, "I... dazed of there for a bit."

"Its... okay..." he assured, "I know people who do that all the time."

His statement brought a smile to her lips. Grabbing a hold of her shoulder, she tugged on it briefly. Shadow was a strange person indeed. Or maybe, she's just acting weird.

"So how much further?" he inquired.

"Hopefully, not too long," she answered, turning to him, "The inner area of the cove has many rings like that one. We'll just need to walk a bit."

He nodded, and stepped back. After adjusting the golden jewel encrusted band on her forehead, she took head point. Shadow once again crossed his arms, and followed her down the cave.

...

"So... how did you learn how to fight like that?"

Her question came out of nowhere, and sprang Shadow free of the loose thoughts in his head. Glaring forward, he found his eyes rolling up Tikal's swaying body. Did she notice she swayed her hips in a suggestive manner? Probably. He'd need to tell her about that.

Funny. Why did he scan her like that?

"Shadow?" she called, turning so her eyes could meet her's.

"I've always been like that." he stated, answering her question from before, "I suppose you can say I'm self-taught."

She nodded to his words, as her hand found one of her many braids.

"So... you learned by yourself?" she commented, trying to get a grasp on his words.

"Yes..." he answered.

"For my people, fighting is a must." she sighed with indifference, "It's been something we've always been like."

"But you dislike fighting." he retorted, "It goes against your pacifist nature."

"It does..." she said, eyes half closing, "But I can't go back on something that's been with my people for millenniums." she sighed again, "It started a long, long time ago. When my people were first formed, they found troubles with the mountains they lived by. Rock slides would plague the village, not to mention the occasional marauders." she glanced off, "So, the chief at the time had to come up with ideas on how to deal with them. Ya see, the chief at the time was a very strong man, so he valued strength. He figured that the best way to deal with these nuisances..."

"Were to fight them?"

Tikal nodded, while a smile came to her muzzle.

"Yeah... fight them..." she lifted her hands, "The gloves we wear were made specifically for this. Well... that and, of course, treasure hunting. But that's for a different day. So, everyday, we started training. Learning how to fight those falling rocks, and more importantly, invaders. Even when we moved our tribe from the mountains and to the city we live in today, we still continued to train. Training for an echidna starts when their fairly young, so we'll be strong by the time we grow up."

"Even you...?" he questioned.

Tikal stopped suddenly. Facing the wall beside them, she suddenly delivered a very strong, very powerful punch. The wall crumbled under the powerful punch, and broke in too. Her fist even made the cove shake for a bit, before it eventually calmed down.

"Yes..." she answered.

Shadow remained silent, but a brief smirk showed that he was impressed.

They continued walking, as he spoke forth once more.

"Never thought I'd see such strong pacifist." he commented.

"Believe me," she said, smiling, "I enjoy my fair share of training. I just wish there were more productive ways to spend my lessons." she turned to him, and started walking backwards, "How 'bout you, Starman? Do you train as well?"

"Against a six hundred pound robot that holds every kind of weapon known to man within him."

His cocky statement made Tikal cock her head in confusion.

"What's a... row-bot?" she questioned.

"Nothing..." he stated, thinking how useless it was to mention his psychopathic ally, "He's... just a friend of mine..."

"So," Tikal said, face brightening up, "You do have friends? What's his name."

"Omega..."

That set a cord off in Tikal's head. Her eye scanned him as, that name went around in her head.

"Omega?" she repeated, "Are you sure you aren't from the heavens?"

"Why is that?" he questioned.

"All of your statements and mannerisms are so different. And honestly, hedgehogs are extremely rare around these parts. The last time a hedgehog stepped foot in Cielo Isla, was over a thousand years ago. And... you mention a being named Omega."

"Omega is my friend."

"Is he a violent fellow?"

That caused Shadow to chuckle.

"Yes..." he stated, easily.

"Omega is a god, to us, Starman. A being who represents the end of things. Most specifically, they say Omega will bring the end of the world. Someday..."

"How many gods does your theology have, Tikal?"

She gave a blush, while her eyes stared to the cave's ceilings.

"A lot... honestly..." she giggled, "Sometimes, I forget who I'm supposed to pray to for something or other..." she glanced back down, "Do... you have a god you pray too, Starman?"

Shadow's arms found his shoulders. Honestly, gods were something he found to be immaterial too. Sure, he respected people who worshiped their gods, it was in their right, after all, but to him. He never remembered actually praying to a god.

"Not really..." he answered, "But I did always believe in a heaven."

His ruby eyes moved to Tikal's blue ones. And she was smiling.

"Heaven," she stated, "I think of my grandmother, all the time. I wonder if she's in the afterlife. Watching over me..." she returned her glare to his, "Do you have someone special in the afterlife, watching for you."

She notice his stance become more defensive, while his eyes grew into a glare. She was sure he was going to brush off her statement, but to her surprise, he instead rolled his eyes.

"Yeah... I do..."

She didn't press any further. Instead, her mind floated to something else.

"Do you... have any _other _friends."

The hedgehog's crimson eyes moved to her, scanning her new mannerisms. She was looking away, for some reason, and her fingers were twiddling around one another.

"What kind of other friends?" he replied, though he knew not why his words came out the way they did.

"Friends like... maiden, friends..." she glanced back up, "Female... friends..."

Why did she care? He found himself wondering that. Why did she care if he had female friends or not? What was she getting at?

Oddly enough, he found his mouth opening to appease the tribal girl.

"Yes..." he commented, arms crossing, "Her name is Rouge..."

"Really..." she answered, arms falling, "Is she a... beautiful woman?"

Now Shadow was really confused. Why was she asking this kind of question? It didn't matter if Rouge was beautiful or not, that was all immaterial. Right now, being stuck thousands of years in the past, with his Chaos Energy leaving him, was what mattered. So why did she ask of that.

"Yeah... I suppose..." he answered, truthfully, "Rouge is the kind of girl who could get any man... I guess..." he glared up at her, "Why does it matter?"

She couldn't give him an answer. For said answer, was caught in her throat. She didn't know why she asked if his female friend was beautiful or not. It was just a silly question, so she could get a better grasp of who this 'Rouge' woman was.

They broke free of this cavern they were in, and, from what it seemed, entered a different world. The room the entered was so great and large. Stalagmites stuck from the ceiling, as well as from the earth. Some were so large, it connected the entire construct together by way of the ceiling to the ground. The water that pooled at the bottom reflected all the light it could, painting the walls and ceiling with vibrant lights. On the sides of the walls, great walkways, showing some people had been here before

As the duo entered this grand area, Tikal stopped. Her hands found her chest, and she sighed out with happiness. Shadow was less than enthusiastic, however, as his ruby eyes merely combed the sights before him.

"I love this place," Tikal commented, "I wish I could come here more often."

"Why don't you?" he inquired.

"My father doesn't like it when I leave without protection. It was okay when I was younger, because my grandmother was always there. Once she passed away, however... things change..." she turned to Shadow and smiled, "But I have the Starman with me today."

He raised an eyebrow at the title of 'Starman', while she neared the edge of the cavern cliff.

"Where we want to go, is over there," she stated, before looking down, "It would be a good glide over if you could... but since you can't, I'll have to find another way."

"No..." he answered, with a wave of his hand, "I can get there."

"Shadow," she called, "How? I thought you were weak."

"I can't use my Chaos Powers," he said, glancing at her, "Doesn't mean I can't use my other skills. As long as I don't exert my body too much."

Tikal cocked her head at his words. Shadow looked at her.

And then he smiled.

It was a devilish one, a smile that held back so much more. Tikal found it to be both terrifying and alluring. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel.

His hand suddenly found her back. He started to push her, and her feet met air. Dreads gliding off the airways, she flew off into the air. Catching a draft, she hovered briefly, just so she could look at the area she once stood.

He kept his eyesight trained on her, while his feet brought himself closer and closer to the cliff's edge. Gazing down, he saw just how deep the fall was. Another glare showed the inner lake to be very shallow. If he fell in that, he was sure he would crack his head open. The thought made him smile. Guess he won't fall then.

"Shadow!" Tikal called, "What are you going to do?"

He cracked the bones in his neck. His foot moved over the edge.

"Just let the wind hit you..." he whispered to himself, over and over again like a mantra.

He really needed to get his mind thinking. He continuously played images of Tikal, Knuckles, and Rouge flying, over and over again in his head. He could do it, its easy. Just so easy.

He jumped. Just like before, he felt the air rush to him, as the ground moved closer and closer. Unlike last time, he didn't have the safety of a deep lake to cushion his fall. Maybe it was a bit stupid to jump without any pre-judging, but he didn't care. It was either now, or never.

"JUST LET THE AIR HIT YOU!" Tikal's order came.

He stretched his arms out, just like the echidna girl before him. The ground continued to speed up. He cocked his head up in just a certain way, that he felt the air currents rush through his quills. Funny. He felt his body start to slow.

"PRAY TO THE GODS!" her next lesson came.

Shadow closed his eyes.

"Oh... Dammit Maria... what have I gotten myself into..."

His eyes opened. The ground was away. Far away.

His looked left, he looked right. He was floating. How did he do that?

"Ah ha!" Tikal giggled, "Shadow! You're... you're doing it!"

His quills locked in. He started plummeting again. Toward the ground again he fell, but this time without the know how to stop it. But before he met the earth face first, slender orange arms wrapped around him. They flew up, twirled a bit, and hovered safely toward the ground. His feet landed first, as she floated near him just a bit. Back on solid earth Shadow sighed out in relief, as his ruby eyes met his savior.

Tikal just smiled, and landed beside him.

"Thanks..." he said, easily.

"You were flying..." she answered, blue eyes shining, "You were actually flying..."

"I know..." he answered, briefly.

"I couldn't believe it." she said, "I thought... Ya'know... just wow..."

"I couldn't keep it going," he commented, sighing, "I thought I'd be able too."

"But Shadow," she said, "It was amazing."

And then in a movement so quick, she hugged him.

Tikal knew not why she did it. She just remembered standing in front of him one moment, and then having her arms around him the next. She rested her head on his shoulder, while she enjoyed the warmth his body gave off. Except there was no hugging, back. She didn't feel his arms return the favor. Breaking off the brief union, she gazed into his ruby eyes. He retained that same indifferent visage, however. Maybe it was too much to ask for a hug back. After all, from what she's seen, he's very to himself.

"Sorry..." she murmured, stepping back, "I... got ahead of myself."

But Shadow made no answer. He just stared at her, while his arms crossed over one another. What she got, after a long moment of silence, was a low, slow, huff.

Now Tikal really felt stupid. She grew frail under his gaze, and her eyes diverted to the ground. She wished she hadn't hugged him now.

"Let's... go... Starman..." she whispered, turning to the cove's end.

As her footsteps went off, Shadow lingered a bit. His nose twitched for a few seconds, as his eyes closed shut.

Natural. That's what he was thinking. She smelt, natural. That brief hug of there's sent some of her fragrance to him, allowing him to take in her natural smell. Shadow found his hands to increase the hold they held on his arms. And yet, he was doing so involuntarily, as if his hands had minds of their own.

Why didn't he hug her back? He wondered that. Honestly, a part of him _did_ want to hug her back. But he didn't.

She was swaying, again. For the second time this evening, he found his eyes moving toward her waist, and swaying hips. Did she know what she was doing? Actions like this were at home on a certain bat, but not her. Maybe it was something all women did, he'll never know. For now, he would just follow her. And keep his eyes peeled.

Especially on those swinging hips.

Wait. What?

…

There was a creäture. No. This was no creäture, it was a machine. It pulled itself up from the cove's water. Its bronze hand slammed against the rocky side, causing cracks to form. The purple cloak it owned was visibly tattered, showing tears and holes in it. This being cared not, however, as the cloak was nothing but a formality. It fell from its body, as it finally laid its feet on the ground. Water dragged off, and eyes shined blue.

A gizoid. Had arrived.

* * *

_Trivia Time! Woot-Woot!_

_Maybe I'll make this a daily thing, but I digress._

_So, here's another chapter. I... just love writing, yeah. So, uh, this chapter. Honestly, I enjoyed writing this one a bit. Throughout the story, I haven't had much interaction between Tikal and Shadow. It's usually been just Tikal's view of things, as she talks to this mysterious hedgehog. But like all my stories, character development plays a huge role. I guess, from what you can see, Tikal doesn't exactly see Shadow as some demon anymore. Not much, at least. __The chapter name,_ _Inhibitions_, _is sort of to show these emotions growing inside of the two, ya'know. Maybe being trapped in a cove will do that to two people, I don't know._

_I also wanna talk about the whole, gliding Shadow thing. If you find flying hedgehogs as weird, well, let me talk to you this way. Echidnas don't glide. They can't, it's impossible. Call me crazy, but wouldn't you find it weird if you saw flying echidnas? I mean, who taught them how to glide/fly? Seriously? Ugh... I'm getting off topic. Honestly, I find that scene of Shadow gliding to be cute. Plus, the very inquisitive of my readers will notice something. Ya see, this is called foreshadowing. What am I foreshadowing? You'll just have to wait and see._

_Now, allow me to impart some words of wisdom._

_Remember kids, Jigglypuff is now half fairy type. What does that mean? That means say good-bye to your Dragonite. _

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	7. Gizoid Battle

Gizoid Battle

"In here," she called, waving her hand, "The rings are just over this wall."

He glared up the cove side, his crimson eyes scanning the side he had to climb. It was much too steep to climb up, and his legs weren't in proper working order to run up them as well. Tikal was able to scale it quite easily, thanks in part to her echidna training. So now, she sat at the top, gazing down upon him.

"I think we've hit a little snag..." the black and red hedgehog commented, ruby eyes moving elsewhere.

"What are you talking about?" Tikal questioned, glancing down at him.

With a slow and uninterested eye, he looked up to the girl before him. She, at first, returned his glare with a confused one, before realizing what the problem was.

"Oh... OH!" she said, leaping off from the cliff side, "You can't climb up here?"

"It's not like the mountain outside," he commented as she landed before him, "This wall is clean of indents and crevices. It'll be hard getting up."

Tikal found his words to be somewhat interesting. Looking up and down his body first, she then moved her eyesight up the wall she just climbed. Indeed, it was free of holes and marks, things necessary to climb up. But she was an echidna, and climbing was just something natural to them. Would it be natural for him as well.

She found her mind churning with thoughts. One stood out from the rest, however. So far, she had taught him how to glide, would it be too much to teach him how to climb as well? She was about to find out.

"How strong are you, Starman?"

Her question made him scoff, as if it were an insult. Glaring at her, he sent a message that pretty much said, 'how strong do you _think_ I am?'.

Tikal found herself gripping her dreads, as she continued to think. Then it hit her.

"Let me teach you how to climb," she said, stepping forward.

"I know how to climb." he said, eyes grown half closed, "I just can't climb up this."

"No, no, no," she said, waving her hand to and fro, "Climb like how we echidnas climb."

"Tikal, I'm trying _not_ to exert myself." he replied.

"Don't worry," she said, nearing the wall, "It's just like gliding! Easier than you think!"

"If it's just like gliding, allow me to write my will first."

Once again, his statement fell upon deaf ears, as Tikal had no idea what a 'will' was. And yet, for some reason, she found herself giggling. As her hand lay upon the cove's side, her giggles stopped. It was replaced with deep thought.

Rubbing her chin, she wondered just how to teach Shadow how to climb. It was easy for her, the gloves she wore were specifically designed for climbing. Would it be so easy for the Starman?

"Shadow?" she called, head turning to face him.

He wasn't looking at her, however. Instead, his ruby eyes were trained away, glaring down the pathway they took to get here. Ears twitching, he felt as if something was off.

"Shadow?" Tikal called again, breaking him from his thoughts.

Turning around, he uncrossed his arms, and walked up to her. She gave a questioning glance at him briefly, before shifting her gaze back to the wall. Laying her hand on said wall, she patted it quickly.

"Climbing up is easy," she said, hands finding her gloves, "As long as you have these."

"I don't have gloves like you do, though," he commented, "How do you expect me to get up there?"

"Easy," she said, gloves slipping off of hands, "Just use mine."

As her hands moved forward, she presented her gloves to him. Not really sure what feeling he was supposed to feel, Shadow just gazed at the gloves with indifferent eyes. They weren't the right size for him, and would probably be a tight fit. Did she really expect to put it on?

"Go ahead," she encouraged, "Put them on."

Yes. It seems she did.

"Tikal," he murmured, "These won't fit."

"You didn't even try them on yet! Go ahead! Put them on."

The hedgehog didn't want to argue with her, and he knew it things continued this way, an argument would surely grow. Besides, a part of him didn't want to fight with this girl. She did, after all, hold the whereabouts of the ring he so desperately needed. So, he started to slide off his own gloves.

"How will you be getting up?" he inquired as he removed his gloves.

"Just drop them down when you're done using them," she responded, "I'll keep your gloves safe."

He nodded, as he handed her his delicate hand fabrics. Watching him fiddle with her heavier, bulkier gloves, made her giggle a bit. He was so unsure about how to work the things he wore.

"Maybe after we're done," she stated, "I'll bring you to the city tailor! He'll love to make you your own pair of echidna gloves."

The statement made him scoff, as his body moved toward the cove side. Glaring up the side, he wondered how he was supposed to go about things. Climbing would be a more difficult than Tikal made it out to be, he was sure of it.

"Just, punch the wall," she stated, "There are things in the glove that help create indents in the wall."

"I figured..." he answered.

He pulled back his hand, and struck forward. Just as he suspected, he created a small crevice. Unfortunately, the pain of the strike course up his arm.

He shook his hand in anger, while Tikal giggled childishly. A sudden glare from his crimson eyes silenced her, however. With the quiet backed, he turned his demonic eyesight back to the wall. That stung a lot more than he figured it would. Or maybe his body was still just a bit frail. The thought of it angered him.

After a few shakes of his arms, just to loosen them up a bit, he pulled back his fist. Another punch he delivered, sending a crack into the wall. Just like last time, pain coursed up his arm. Growling, he dealt with the pain, and pulled up his hand again. Striking above his other hand, he caused more pain to course through his other limb. If he continued this, he would barely clear half of this wall, let alone the whole thing. He was doing something wrong, he knew it.

"No, no, no," Tikal scolded, "You're doing it all wrong."

She walked up beside him.

"You're putting forth too much strength." she added.

"Then how am I supposed to do this?" he questioned.

"Let the gloves work for you," she stated, "Don't try to work the gloves."

He answered her weird orders with a glare.

"Listen, Shadow," she said, grabbing his hand, "You see the spikes on the knuckles, right? That's where most of the work comes into play. Dig in with your knuckles, not your fists."

Her mouth closed after, and she stepped back. Ruby eyes leaving her frame, he started to focus on the wall once more. Pulling back his fists, he scanned the spikes on the glove. They were sharp, extremely sharp. He chuckled as he wondered how Tikal got away with wearing such violent tools.

Lifting his fist, he dove his hand knuckle first, into the wall. Unlike last time, this punch didn't send as much pain through him. Cocking his head, he lifted his other fist, and dove in knuckles first into the wall. He pulled himself up, and repeated the action. Over and over again, he trekked up the side of the wall. Behind him, he could hear Tikal's laughter of excitement.

"You're doing it Shadow!"

It didn't take long for his hand to meet the cliff side's edge. He tapped it on the edge, pulled himself up, then hung his feet over. Sitting on the edge, he glanced down to the orange furred echidna beneath him. She was so happy, hopping up and down whilst giggling. The sight of it made him smile.

Yes. He smiled.

That smile didn't last long, however, as his indifferent visage returned. Peeling the gloves from his hands, he dropped them back down. Tikal caught them quickly, and slid them on just as fast. Before Shadow knew it, she was standing beside him, as she had already scaled the wall. Still, that face of proud achievement was still placed on her face. She was so happy with Shadow's work, she didn't know how to contain herself.

"Shadow! You did it."

"I know," he replied, standing up, "Now... my gloves..."

Blushing briefly, she trekked her hands down to her waist. His gloves were sticking right at the area where her skirt met her body. She pulled them out quickly, and turned her eyes over to him. As his hands reached forward, she found her blue eyes trekking down his arms. The red streaks on his limbs ended at the top of his hand. Not to mention the fact that his fingers had sharp claws at the end. The image of the man before her being a demon crept back into her mind. And as he slid the gloves back on his hands, Tikal found herself talking.

"I like your hands..."

He looked at her, as those words left her mouth. For a brief moment, he noticed a shade of red flush across her muzzle, as she turned away. The sight bewildered him, as he crossed his arms. Truly, the female specimen is a confusing thing indeed.

"How much farther, Tikal?" he questioned.

"Uh... not much longer," she responded, looking forth, "Just follow me."

Once again, she stepped forward, and once again, the midnight hedgehog found his eyes moving down to her swaying hips. In his mind, he was free to think about this echidna girl. She was really... _Natural_. He found her to be. And, beautiful, _cute_, even. Did she know what she was doing? Did she notice her own feminine ways? Maybe. Maybe not. It wouldn't matter, eventually. After he got the ring he needed, he'd be on his way home. Hopefully...

"We're here..." she called out happiness in her voice, "The cave of the- Oh no..."

Oh no? Why would she say, oh no?

The hedgehog pulled himself from the cove. Only to see, nothing. This great room was dome shape, and water poured in from the walls. Sunlight was also precedent in the room, which made Tikal and Shadow realize just how long they were in this cave. But none of that mattered. The room looked downright pitiful. Cracks were on the ceiling and walls, as well as craters in the ground. Geysers which sprouted from the ground were crushed and crumbled. Shadow uncrossed his arms as he tried to fathom what happened here. Tikal, on the other hand, fell to her knees.

"Who could've done this?" she questioned, blue eyes moving around.

"This place was attacked..." he commented, "But by who..."

"The Nocturnus Tribe..." Tikal said, voice with rage, "They had to of!"

"Noct... turnus?" Shadow questioned.

"They're a tribe that rivals ours," she answered, standing up, "While we try to be one with the earth, they've taken a path of rapid development. Their technology far outclasses ours. They are the only people who could have found their way inside of here!"

"Great..." Shadow retorted, "So what you're trying to tell me is... there is no ring, huh?"

She glanced down toward the area's floor. Not once, did she feel her senses tingle. No tingling, means no treasures. No treasures, means no rings.

She turned to Shadow, and shook her head.

"I'm... sorry... Shadow..."

His crimson glance sharpened, as he stared at her. The look made her feel childishly stupid. All of this could have been easily avoided, as long as she kept her mouth shut. Right now, his glare made her want to melt away.

"I'm... so, so, sorry..." she responded, tears welling up, "This is all my fault..."

Suddenly, his hand found her mouth, silencing her. Her eyes opened wide at the movement, as he glared down the tunnel they just entered from. Down the hall, she could hear something. It sounded like metal footsteps clanking against rocky flooring. And it was getting closer.

Tikal felt her heart beat increase, as the fear of the unknown began to grip her. Facing Shadow, he told her to hide. But she shook her head.

"No, Shadow!" she whispered, "Don't!"

"Hide Tikal!" he ordered instead.

"Shadow, please don't fight! Things can only get worse!"

Suddenly, he gripped her shoulders, squeezing her tightly.

"Things will get worse if I _don't_ fight! Now hide!"

The burning in his crimson orbs returned, as he shot her a most sinister glare. She didn't question him on his words, and instead obeyed his order. Breaking free of his grasp, she turned to find herself a place to hide.

Shadow crossed his arms, as she quickly found her own hiding spot. After remembering the area she sat in, he turned his face over to the metal footsteps. They were growing closer, and closer, with each passing moment. He found his breathing to increase, as he prepared for battle. His body wasn't ready for this.

"Who are you!?" he barked.

The footsteps stopped. But then, they continued. No answer was given to his call, and the being was growing ever closer. Shadow started growling now, as he yelled out once more,

"WHO ARE YOU!?"

The being appeared.

Its tattered cloak hung lowly on its body, as its blue eyes shined in the darkness. It was an orange robot, with a starfish like head. It wasn't so muscular, and simpler in design. But Shadow recognized him, albeit, barely.

"Emerl?" he let out.

The robot glared at him. Just as before, it remained silent. Its footsteps brought itself closer and closer, and pushed Shadow further back.

A gizoid. A gizoid stood before him. He wasn't sure if this thing was the same Emerl he once knew, but it looked similar in design. That's not what terrified him, however. If this was a gizoid, and had any abilities like that of which he knew, then he was a dead man. That didn't scare him, however. Shadow the hedgehog does not fear death.

"Fine then..." he stated, "If you want to fight like this, it's your funeral."

His cocky statement had no bearings on the robot's mind.

The gizoid before him ducked down, then leaped forward. Shadow found its powerful hands around his shoulders, grabbing him tightly. The machine didn't stop moving, however, and forced him down off the cove's edge. The two fell to the bottom of the area's crevice, slamming Shadow's body into the cold, wet floor. He called out in pain, while the gizoid above him pulled back its fist. Quickly, it struck forward, but Shadow blocked the hit. He shoved away the fist, bucked up his foot, then kicked it in the chest. The attack threw the Gizoid back, and it slammed into the wall.

Being freed of the robot's grasp, the hedgehog quickly returned to his feet. Already, he felt his muscles tense up, as short jolts of pain went through.

"Dammit," he cursed, "Not already."

The gizoid leaped forward, and threw an untrained punch. Shadow blocked the attack, and quickly countered. He gripped the fist, kicked the robot by the foot, and then tossed it onto its back. Immediately, the gizoid returned to its toes, ready to continue the brawl. Growling, Shadow threw forth his own punch. But then, the most deranged of things happened. The gizoid grabbed his fist, kicked him in his foot, tripping him up, and then tossed him onto his back.

The toss was strong, and rocks were cracked under his falling body. As he groaned in pain, he thought on the tactic. That blasted gizoid copied his counter. Quickly, he returned to his feet, but now with a sense of caution. The gizoid was approaching him, and was surely watching his every move. Shadow growled.

"You're copying me, aren't you?" he questioned of the silent machine, "I should have known."

The Gizoid stopped.

Its blue eyes seemed to shine, as it lifted its fists. Shadow knew what it was doing. It was baiting him. But the hedgehog wouldn't fall for the tactic. If he performed any of his trained attacks, then the machine would surely copy it. But how was he supposed to fight? He couldn't be cautious all the time. He was fighting an uphill battle, and his weak body wasn't making things any easier.

Ducking down, he leaped up high in the air. He escaped the crevice he and his foe fell in, and fell back onto the earth outside. Hiding behind a rock formation, he started to gain his breath. He needed to figure out a way to counter him. Fighting full force would just get him killed.

He heard the gizoid leap up and escape the crevice. Its metal footsteps began to trek the grounds, as its blue eyes moved left and right to find its foe. Deciding to get the drop on his foe, Shadow withdrew the weird gun he gained from the albino echidna. Pulling back on the contraption, he aimed it toward a stalagmite that hung on the ceiling. After pinpointing the gizoid's position, he fired. The green bolt launched from the guns barrel, and slammed on the stalagmite's base. The attack caused it to crumble, and fall to the earth. The gizoid glared up, and leaped back, just in time to dodge the attack.

Shadow breathed out in relief, as he continued to think up a counter plan. To his surprise, his face met a fist. The gizoid had, somehow, made its way up to him, without him knowing. It pulled back another fist, and struck him in the face, before kneeing him in the gut. As the black hedgehog before it growled in pain, it slammed its elbow down on his back. Shadow fell to the ground, but gained the strength to tackle it around the waist. Slamming the gizoid into the wall, he caused rocks to fall upon them. But he wasn't finished. He pulled the gizoid out of the dent he made, and then slammed him into the earth.

As the Gizoid lay at his feet, he quickly withdrew the gun he held. The machine was crafty, however, and kicked the gun out of his hands. Landing back on its toes, it tackled Shadow in the exact same way he tackled it. And then, just like last time, it slammed him in the wall, once again causing rocks to fall upon them. Lifting Shadow up, it then slammed him on the ground. Immediately, the hedgehog felt blood fly from his mouth. The gizoid pulled back its fist, then slammed it down, only for Shadow's open palm to stop it. Growling, the hedgehog quickly spun into a ball, and rocketed forth. The gizoid was so surprised by the attack, he was launched far away to the other end of the wide arena.

Shadow fell to the earth after a few seconds. His hand clamped down onto his chest, as he constantly coughed up bits of his blood. After cleaning his lips of his own substance, however, he got to his feet, ready to continue the fight.

"Shadow, please stop this!" Tikal cried.

She ran up from nowhere, grabbing onto his weakened body.

"Get out of here!" Shadow growled, "I told you to hide!"

"Shadow, you're too hurt! Let's just run!"

"NO!" he barked, "I'm not running!"

"Look at you..." she whispered, rubbing the bruises on his body, "You're bleeding..."

He suddenly coughed, launching out some more of his own blood. It splattered across the ground, and made Tikal scream in fear.

"Go!" he ordered, "Tikal, I can't let you get hurt!"

"And I can't let you get hurt," she responded, "Remember what my father said about you? I'm your caretaker, Shadow. You're in my care..."

"Then help me out," he said, turning to her, "By getting out-of-the-way."

A green bolt from the energy gun Shadow had flew toward them. Realizing the Gizoid had his weapon, and was now firing at him, Shadow gripped tightly on to Tikal. She yelped, while he leaped away, dodging rogue energy blasts. Just like when the Master Emerald was attacked, he dodged the attacks with expert timing. But unlike last time, Tikal could tell Shadow was slowing. His body was loosing its strength, while he was panting with exhaustion. One blast caused an explosion, and sent Shadow and Tikal flying away. The two landed behind a rock formation, with him grabbing tightly onto her.

Far away, the gizoid fired at their position. But the lasers from the gun suddenly ceased, showing it was out of ammo. Tossing away the weapon, it started to march dauntingly toward its awaiting victims.

Shadow growled, as he pulled himself up. Tikal glance down to her chest, seeing that her shirt was stained red. His blood. Looking back up to Shadow, she found he was incredibly tired. His hand lay on his chest, while he breathed in and out over and over again.

"Shadow... you're tired..."

"I know..." he answered, glaring at her.

"What do we do?" she questioned.

"_You_ need to go. I'll hold him off..."

"He'll kill you, Shadow!" she yelled.

He chuckled briefly, as his eyes closed shut.

"Better one of us... than both of us..."

Heroism. That's what he was exhibiting. She was sure he didn't want to die. He had a home to return to. But here he was, pretty much saying he'd sacrifice himself, for a girl he barely knew.

Shadow the hedgehog was no demon. Just a fallen angel. A fallen angel of despair.

"Tikal..." he growled, looking at her, "Go..."

"No..." she said, standing up, "I'm not leaving you..."

Her feet brought her away from the injured hedgehog, and in the direct path of the gizoid before her. Showing anger not known on her face, she started to growl.

"You monster!" she yelled, "Just go away!"

It didn't listen.

"Fine then! You've forced my hand! But remember! I warned you!" she glared down to the ground, "FACE GAIA'S WRATH!"

She punched the ground. The entire area shook violently, as a fissure split from her strike. The gizoid before them stopped, as the fissure moved over to him. Splitting into the crevice that existed in the room, the gizoid fell into Tikal's fissure, and the naturally made one.

The orange furred echidna pulled back, as she felt her heart race. Turning to Shadow, she saw he was struggling to his toes. Running up to him, she held him up by his shoulders.

"I... thought you were a pacifist." he stated, chuckling.

"Someone said... that it's not evil to protect others," she looked into his crimson eyes, "Isn't that true?"

He smiled.

A rolling sound echoed from the fissure Tikal created. Dashing up as a perfectly round sphere, was the gizoid. It landed between the duo, and its blue eyes scanned them closely. Suddenly, it lifted its fists. Tikal, not sure what it was planning on, braced for impact. Instead, Shadow grabbed her, and leaped into the air. The gizoid punched down, and created a fissure much like Tikal's. Fortunately, the hedgehog and echidna were in the air, safe from the assured pain.

"How did it?" she questioned.

"Gizoids can copy attacks." Shadow answered, looking to her.

"How do you know that?" she asked, looking at him.

"I fought one before..." he answered, easily.

The two landed on the side of the cove, safe from the orange machine. The gizoid's blue eyes moved to them, and prepared to attack.

"We'll have to work together," Shadow said, stepping forth, "That's the only way we'll stop it."

"I don't want to fight anymore," she answered, walking beside him, "But I will if I must."

The black hedgehog gave a laugh.

"You are an interesting girl, Tikal," he looked to her, "I like that..."

Her heart fluttered.

"Wait for my signal..." he suddenly commanded, dropping to his feet.

Tikal's eyes moved to him, as he crouched down. And then he began spinning.

He spun faster, and faster, in this perfectly round ball. Tikal couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had never seen a being do this before. The gizoid was also enamored by the sight, as its blue eyes never once left the hedgehog's frame. Suddenly, said hedgehog's frame was in the gizoid's face.

Shadow's spin dash connected, and he slammed into the gizoid's chest, propelling both foes away. They crashed into the wall, where the gizoid tried to escape Shadow's attack. But the hedgehog wouldn't allow it. He slipped around the gizoid's body, grabbed it in a full nelson, then roared out,

"TIKAL NOW!"

At first, the order went on death ears, before it hit her. Raising her hand, her blue eyes started to gleam, and she roared out,

"HEAVEN'S JUSTICE!"

The command was odd, until a cloud appeared above the hedgehog and gizoid. Shadow, realizing this was Tikal's attack, lifted up the robot in his arms. The clouds started to storm, and suddenly, powerful lightning bolts struck down. The gizoid quaked in pain, as electricity surged through its robotic veins. The electricity continued to surge, however, and it eventually met Shadow. The two beings shook in pain, as their bodies quaked with indescribable pain. This went on for what felt like an eternity, when in reality, it was only a few seconds. Once Tikal's lightning subsided, both Shadow and the gizoid were cloaked in a grey smog. Shadow tossed away the gizoid, which had stopped moving, and fallen to his knees.

As he breathed in and out with pain, he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Thinking enemy, he quickly gripped onto his assailant's hand. Forcing through some strength, he slammed his foe on the ground.

His ears heard screams.

"Tikal!" he said, eyes opening.

On the ground, wincing in minor pain, was Tikal. Her blue eyes opened, and her lips formed a smile.

"Good thing you aren't as strong as you're supposed to be," she commented, "Or else you would've broke me."

For some reason, despite all the pain he was feeling, and the exhaustion, he laughed. His body fell a second later, and he groaned out in relief, if that's possible. Tikal got to her toes, and tip toed silently beside her. Kneeling down, her body lay directly beside his. Her hand met his shoulder, and started to caress it lightly.

"My hero..." she whispered.

"No..." he said, rubbing his eyes, "I can't believe I'm saying this but... it was a team effort..."

She chuckled to his response, while her hand fell down.

"I'm sorry I made you fight," he stated, arms crossing, "I had no right doing so."

"Its okay..." she said, glancing away, "This was my fault, anyway. I took you on a wild goose chase, where we nearly got killed... _twice_..." she sighed, "This was all my fault."

She looked back to him, where he said nothing.

"Well... it is..." he whispered, easily.

She grew frail to his words, but his sudden growl revitalized her.

"So... there's no rings?" he questioned.

"No... none, it seems..."

"Then let's get back to the village..."

He tried to stand, but his weak body wouldn't allow it. Falling back, he growled in anger, as his weak body fought against him. Tikal's hand on his body calmed him down, however. Looking forward, he saw her smiling face looking back at him. Slowly, he watched her hand move to her left wrist. On her wrists, heavy blue bands. Shadow cocked his head at the sight. He watched Tikal remove the blue band from her left wrist, and slide it onto the ground. In silence, he watched her grab his right hand, and removed the busted gold ring that had been the ire of his.

"You're much stronger than me," she whispered, eyes closing as she gripped the golden ring, "My rings hold me from unleashing Chaos Powers I don't exactly understand..." the golden ring he held snapped off, "If I'm sure... this ring should do more than enough to suppress my powers..." she looked back up to him, "Maybe my bands won't work on you... maybe they will..." she started to slide the blue band up on his hand, "Let's just say... this is a gift, hm? From me to you. My hero..."

Shadow felt the blue band slide onto his right wrist. Gazing down to the item, he grew surprised. What he thought to be another article of clothing, was actually a ring much akin to his inhibitor rings. The powerful blue object suppressed the little Chaos Energy he still held within. He could feel his energy stabilize itself.

Tikal held onto his dented ring briefly, before snapping it onto her wrist. Sighing out, she gave a smile.

"How does it feel?"

"Different..." he answered.

"Here..."

She leaned forward, and her lips, met the side of his muzzle.

"My hero..." she whispered, bringing her head to rest on his shoulder.

Shadow didn't know why but, he felt suddenly tired. A look at Tikal showed that she was tired as well. Her eyes were closing but, she felt the need to stand. Shadow wouldn't allow her to, however. Hand meeting her head, he patted her down.

"I'm tired..." she whispered, confirming his beliefs.

"Yeah..." he answered, "So am I..."

They didn't remember when they fell asleep, but it was so, very, worth it.

* * *

_Trivia Time!_

_I enjoyed writing this. Yeah, I filled my action quota for a while, till next time, of course. _

_I enjoy gizoids. Sonic Battle was so freaking awesome, just because I could give him stuff and make him awesome. And no, the gizoid in this chapter is not the past Emerl, I just used Emerl as a comparison. The gizoid in this is just some past gizoid guy._

_The appearance of said gizoid introduces us to our next villain, of course. Good ole Nocturnus tribe. But, what does Dr. Finitevus have to do with all of this? I know you what to know, and you'll see, soon enough!_

_Well... that was a short Trivia Time... oh well..._

_Something something something... uhhh... Yeah... Pokemon..._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	8. Fun & Games

Fun & Games

He brought his head up. Crimson eyes trekking skyward, he took note of the night sky, beaming through the holes in the ceiling. He brought his right hand up, and rubbed his cheek briefly. Gleaming through the darkness, the blue ring around his wrist. He had almost forgotten about it, honestly. Turning his head down, he saw her orange fur gleaming near her. She looked so calm, sleeping like that. Mouth open, but would close whenever she toiled. Arms crossed over one another to keep herself warm. Dreads covering her face, but ever so barely. If he didn't know any better, he'd say she looked.

Beautiful. Like an angel. But that was insane. Beauty wasn't something he looks for in people. That was immaterial, right now. But she did look beautiful. It was like, a radiant glow was shining around her, a glow he didn't understand. He needed to shake his mind clear of these thoughts. It was time to leave.

She was exhausted, but he wasn't. One more gaze at the blue band on his wrist made him feel lively.

"Tikal..." he whispered, nudging her shoulder, "Tikal..."

She didn't say anything. Instead, her mouth closed, as she gave a few slumbering murmurs. Standing tall, the hedgehog opened and closed his fist. It was time to leave.

Reaching down, he grabbed the echidna tribe girl bridal style. It would take him a while to break free of this cove, and clear the distance back to Cielo Isla, but he felt as if it were worth it. The blue band was working. He could feel his strength returning, but ever so slowly. Or maybe, Tikal was just that light. A few shuffles got her lying on his back, where he could carry her in an easier manner.

As he neared the exit, his ruby eyes moved about the room one last time. Lying on the ground before him, was the gizoid he just battled. It was dead, no doubts about that. Still, lying on the ground beside it, the laser weapon the albino echidna used. Shadow reached down, gripped the gun tightly, then shuffled it away.

"I believe this... belongs to me..." he commented.

...

He felt her body tense against his. Her lips rumbled, her hand released his neck, and her legs lifted up. She was waking, he could tell. Crimson eyes moving to her, he felt her lithe body lift briefly, as her arms stretched into the air. A low, yet loud, call exited her lips, as her hands fell back to his body.

"Starman?" she whispered.

The darkness of night was slowly being pushed away, as pink, orange, and violet, started to take over. The sun was rising, just as the duo trekked over this expansive field. Honestly, Shadow was surprised he was able to make it this far without Tikal waking up. She was surely a hard sleeper.

"Starman..." she whispered again, but this time whilst nudging him, "How did we...?"

"I carried you..." he answered, looking at her out the corner of his eye.

She brought down her face, and laid her chin on the top of his head. Blue eyes gazing around, she started to recognized this place. The flower field her grandmother brought her to.

"Good thing you woke up," he said to her, "I don't think I would have been able to climb the rest of the way down while at the same time carrying you."

His grip released her, and she fell onto the soft flowers. A loud thump caused her to rub her bottom, as her blue eyes gazed up to the hedgehog before her. As his arms crossed, he spun around to meet her gaze. She started giggling. Her legs lifted up, and she laid her hands on them. The hedgehog retained that stone glare, however, as he started to mumble.

"C'mon Tikal," he stated, "We need to get back."

"And we will... in due time..." she answered, as she fell back, "There's no need to rush."

"We spent two days in that cove, Tikal," he stated, easily, "I'm sure the chief is worrying about her."

She scoffed. Shadow had to twitch at the noise, as he was unsure if Tikal could produce such an ironic noise. But here she was, scoffing before him, as her arms crossed. It got Shadow interested.

"I don't think he minds..." she answered his invisible question, as her hand-picked a flower.

"How could you say that?" he inquired.

"He's probably more worried about the 'Starman', than his own daughter."

Shadow shook his head. Though the remark could be taken as flattering, seeing as he's the Starman, he couldn't help but to feel piteous toward the tribal girl. Kneeling down, he took a seat right next to her.

"Do you believe that?" he questioned.

She nodded, weakly.

"Yeah... Ever since momma died... we haven't been the closest of people."

"When did your mother die?"

"Years ago. I was young then. Too young to remember, as my grandmother stated." she sighed, "I wish I could meet my mother, honestly. Growing up alongside my father was just so hard, especially once grandmother died."

"I'm sorry..." Shadow answered, eyes closing, "Losing one's mother must be difficult."

"It's not that hard," she replied, tapping him on his leg, "I didn't get to meet my mother, remember? I can't miss someone I never knew..."

To be truthful, the statement made Shadow shiver. Glancing down to Tikal, he saw a smiling young woman, when on the inside, she was probably hurting. Shadow technically never had a mother, so he didn't know how it was to have motherly love. He did gain his fair share of love from Maria, however. But Tikal was different. Her _real_ mother, died before she could even meet the woman. It was horrible.

"You shouldn't say that..." he whispered, eyes closing.

"Shouldn't say what?" she questioned, fingers toiling in the grass.

"Missing your mother..." he answered, "You shouldn't say that. I know you miss your mother, even if you didn't meet her."

"I suppose you're one to talk," she responded, face showing sadness, "You're all alone here. Somewhere... your friends are waiting for you."

"I'm not sure if that's true," he answered, glancing away, "Sometimes... I wonder if I'm being missed at all."

His eyes closed shut. In his head, he saw images of his friends, Rouge and Omega. Did they miss him? Surely G.U.N. did. They needed their little perfect soldier.

"I know one person who misses you..." Tikal whispered through the darkness.

"Who?" he inquired, showing blatant interest.

"Maria..."

He shot to his toes like lightning. Body blocking out the sun, he casted a dark shade over the nubile girl before him. Face growing hard, he tightened his fists, as she looked up in hidden fear.

"How do you know her?" he questioned, latent rage in his voice.

"I... you..." she took in a breath, "I had a dream of her." her eyes closed, "She's a... girl. I don't know what species she is but... she has blonde hair. And always wore a blue dress..." her eyes opened once more, "Am I... right...?"

The anger he held melted away. Giving a releasing sigh, he sat back down once more, and crossed his arms. Eyes closing, he gave a slow nod.

"Yes... you are... That's Maria..."

"Who is she?" the girl inquired.

"A friend of mine... years ago..." he answered.

"Did she... die...?"

He nodded.

"I'm sorry I did that..." she whispered

"Did what?" he questioned.

"Invaded your mind. It was wrong of me to do so..."

"What do you mean?"

"My Chaos Powers manifests themselves in different ways." she sighed, "I dug around in your mind without your consent... I'm sorry..."

"You... did that on purpose?"

She waved her hands in a 'no' manner, while her face showed minor traces of fear.

"No, no," she stated, "I mean... well... yes, but..." she looked away, "I can't go into someone's mind without them allowing it. When you went to sleep, and I went to sleep. I saw the doorway to your mind. It was open..."

The black hedgehog chuckled, much to her surprise.

"Does that mean I'm an open book?" he inquired.

"No," she said, "I think you were just too tired from the battle. It doesn't matter though. I invaded your mind, without you allowing it. I'm sorry."

"Is that all you saw?"

She nodded.

"Yes... I'm sorry..."

"Stop saying your sorry. I left the door open, it's not your fault." his hand reached forward to grab hers, "What do you call that little ability."

"Uh... I never really named it, honestly." she smiled as her hand gripped his, "Not like you..."

He chuckled.

"Yeah... I guess I enjoy naming my powers..."

With a quick pull, he got her onto her feet. Hand meeting her skirt, she brushed off a few blades of grass and flowers from it. As they stood, Shadow quickly took head point. His ruby eyes moved to the plateau's edge, and he started off for it. After finding this mountain's edge, he gazed down to the valleys below. Arms crossing, he waited for Tikal to take her place beside him. She did so quickly.

"You said before," she stated, "You don't have much fun... right?"

He nodded.

"Where I come from," he added, "Fun is too far and few between. I'm always working."

"Well..." she smiled, "You have no duties here. How about we have some fun."

He looked to her out the corner of his eye.

"You're so tense, Starman. Let's have fun today. After the past few days, you can use it. Just a day to... relax. We all have to relax sometimes, or else we'll burn out and die young." she wilted a bit, "Grandmother used to say that all the time."

Her feet met the mountain's edge, as she spread out her hand. Breathing in the air, she gave a loving smile, as the rising sun warmed her body. As the wind began to pick up, she turned to the hedgehog behind her. Hand stretching out, she whispered to him,

"Jump with me..."

His feet met the mountain's edge as well. Gazing down, he saw the many jagged rocks and splits that would kill a man. And she wanted him to jump. Then why was he complying so easily. Obviously, she wanted him to glide, and the last time he did so, he almost killed himself. Would he really try this again?

Tikal's hand grabbed a hold of his. There was no going back now, she wouldn't allow it. She stepped forward. He stepped forward. They fell.

Wind rushed past them. The ground was rapidly moving up. Shadow started to fret. Tikal started to laugh. She started moving up, her dreads spreading. Her grip on Shadow's hand increased, as her gaze moved back to meet him. As she started moving up, he continued to move down. Her other hand met his other hand. She continued smiling.

He started to slow down.

Falling past the rocks, he felt his body begin to move back up. Tikal's giggles made him feel enlightened.

"You're doing it, Starman," she stated, "You're gliding..."

Her hands broke free of his, and she started to move away. Shadow's gaze returned to the ground. Gone was the rocky mountain side. Instead, was the green grasses of the valley. He was gliding. And he had control of it. Well, almost. Obviously, he wasn't as good as the nubile girl twirling around him, but he was doing it.

The ground started to rush up a few minutes later. Instead of crashing down into it, as expected, the hedgehog rolled into a ball and landed on his feet regardless. After rubbing his head, a nubile girl crashed into him, falling on the ground. She giggled over and over again, as her hand met her shoulders.

"You did it Shadow!" she announced, "You were gliding."

"Yes..." he grumbled, "Now please, get off of me..."

"Oh!"

Getting off, she gave a slight blush.

"Sorry..."

"It's okay..." he answered, getting to his feet, "Just... try not to do that again..."

She nodded with a smile.

"I'm sorry..." she said, "I got a bit too excited."

He gave a slight nod, before his feet started bringing him away. Tikal skipped up and over to his side, as they started down the long grass fields to her home. Even though they were walking in silence, Tikal couldn't help but to take a few looks at the stoic hedgehog beside her. He was so calm, and indifferent, with his red orbs gazing toward the horizon. Tikal wondered.

Her left hand reached down to be near his right one. Glancing up to his face, she took note of his still stoic face. Was she blushing? She felt blood rush up there, so she suspected so. Not caring for that, however, she continued to move her hand down. It brushed up alongside his. He looked at her quickly, before shifting his gaze forward again.

She grabbed his hand.

The hedgehog didn't toil or anything. His feet continued to bring him forward, as his ruby eyes remained set forward. Tikal couldn't believe it. She fully suspected the hedgehog to shake her off, or put her in her place. But he didn't. In fact, if she focused hard enough, she could _feel_ his hand grow tight against her's.

They said nothing. Silence just floated between them. Did they know what was happening? It was just a touch. Just a touch, right?

…

"Where... is... my... daughter!"

His dark blue eyes glared holes in the great rock before him.

The Master Emerald remained silent, of course, as his rage started to increase. The echidna men beside him showed obvious fear, for they did not know what their chief would do. He wasn't the holiest man here, that was known, but here he stood, barking at the Master Emerald, obvious rage on his face.

"Tell me!" he yelled again, fists raising.

And yet, the rock continued with its silence. There was no answer still, even as the chief showed his blatant rage.

"Chief..." one of his subordinates dared call, "It's... not answering..."

"I... know!" he yelled, getting closer, "Where is Tikal! Where is my daughter! And where is the Starman! I swear, if he did anything to my daughter I will! I will!"

"Will, what? Chief Pachacamac."

The low sounding voice resonated in his ears. Everyone grew silent, as their eyes moved to the Emerald altar stairs. It took Pachacamac a little while to do so himself. Turning, he met Shadow's crimson eyes. More importantly, he met the orange girl's frame that held onto the Starman's hand. Almost immediately, Tikal released his hand, as she felt her body grow frail under her father's eyes.

"Tikal..." he called, stepping forward, "Tikal..."

His arms wrapped around his daughter, and he brought her in for a loving embrace. It took her a while to return the favor.

"Where were you, Tikal? Where did you go?"

"I'm... sorry, father..." she answered, "It was all my fault." she broke free of his hug to point toward the hedgehog beside them, "I left to help the Starman's problem... but I... ended up making more problems. If it hadn't been for the Starman... I don't know where I'd be..."

Pachacamac dragged his eyes over to Shadow. He stood before him as he usually did, with his arms crossed over one another. But one sight got Pachacamac's blood running. The blue band around the hedgehog's right hand.

"How... dare... you...?" the chief said, stepping forward toward the hedgehog.

Shadow, understandably having no idea what the echidna was talking about, merely gave a gaze of confusion.

"That band!" Pachacamac yelled, drawing attention to it, "How dare you!?"

Shadow's ruby gaze intensified briefly, before he brought it over to Tikal. The orange echidna began to fret, as her feet brought her in between the confrontation.

"Father stop!" she commanded, reaching into her courage, "He's... it's... not what you think!"

"How did he get that band, Tikal?" his question came out more like an order. It made her lock up.

She did answer him, of course, and brought her blue eyes elsewhere. The chief stepped forward.

"TIKAL!" he yelled.

She remained silent, however, and only stepped back. Suddenly, Pachacamac's hand grabbed her own, causing her to yelp. Forcibly lifting her appendage, he gazed at the busted gold ring around his daughter's wrist. She didn't try fighting him off, she just gazed up.

"How could you...?" he whispered.

"I had no choice," she answered, "The Starman needed my band! If I didn't..."

His hand released hers, and she allowed it to fall. Gripping tightly on the staff he always carried, he shifted his gaze down the altar stairs. Without another word, he stepped down and away. Tikal watched him leave, all the way to the point in time that the stone doors closed. Shortly after, the rest of the echidna men in the area left as well.

Silence.

Tikal's hands moved up, and touched his face. Tears swelling up, she started to sob and cry. Her legs broke, and she fell on her knees to continue to cry. That was until Shadow's hands laid on her shoulders.

"There's something wrong here..." he whispered, "There's something more to these blue rings than you're letting on, huh?"

She nodded, while at the same time croaking out,

"Yes..."

"Tell me..." he said easily.

Out the corner of her eye, she watched him sit down on the altar staircase. Tikal found herself scooting over to him, so that her body laid next to his. Wiping clean the tears from her eyes, she took in a deep breath to stabilize her crying chokes.

"My mother..." she said, easily, "The blue bands belonged to my mother..."

That silence returned, but she heard Shadow sigh heavily.

"You see..." the nubile girl continued, "My mother was the Master Emerald guardian originally. These bands were made for her, so she could control her Chaos Powers. It seems that when one spends hours around the Master Emerald and the Chaos Emeralds, his or her body gets infused with the Chaos Energies. My mother spent hours around it, much like myself, so she got a lot of the energy. Once it was realized what happens to one when they spend hours next to the emeralds, these bands were made. My mother was the first one to use them. When I was born, it was realized that, somehow, I got residual Chaos Energy. It seemed that my mother passed them on to me. Well, after my mother died, these blue bands were passed on to me."

Words finished, the orange furred girl turned over to the hedgehog beside her. He looked just as stoic as usual, with his eyes closed and arms crossed. Then he asked,

"Why did you give them to me?"

"You were so ready to sacrifice yourself back there in the cove for me. You barely even know me but... you'd do it, easily. I figure that... I could share that feeling. I could give you the ring, if you'd willingly sacrifice yourself for me."

"I would never ask of something like this, from you..." he said, grabbing the blue band, "I feel it is only right that I give it back."

"No, no," she said, laying her hand on the blue band he now owned, "Keep it. I gave it to you, as current Master Emerald Guardian."

"I thought Chaos was the guardian."

"Well... most people don't know he exists. As far as everyone is concerned, I'm the guardian here." she sighed, and gazed down, "It's a lonely existence. Had it not been for the Chao here... and _you_... I would've lost it by now..."

"What was it you said?" he inquired, standing up, "Fun, right? We all need to relax? What do you do in Cielo Isla that constitutes as fun, huh?"

She looked up at him. His arms were crossed in their usual fashion, but his haggard face held a certain kind of niceness to it. He was trying to be nice to her.

"Why?" she questioned.

As if my instinct, or mind reading, he knew what she was talking about.

"Believe it or not... I had someone taken from me long ago." he waved his hand, "We aren't so different, you and I."

She smiled. Getting to her feet, she dusted off particles from her skirt.

"You'll love the games," she said, "I know you will!"

…

The echidna games. What Tikal failed to talk about was how rambunctious and violent it was.

The duo sat in the many thralls of echidnas, as a dusty oval-shaped ring lay below them. All around them, many other tribal members roared and hollered with glee. Shadow found his personal space to be invaded, but he endured it, for Tikal was enjoying herself. She leaned over the edge of her seat, those blue eyes following the actions on the arena below.

Teams of three. A heavy ball in between them. Small circular rings attached to the sides. One point for any team that could even _hit _the ring. _Victory_ for those who can actually get the ball through the ring. The only thing they had to do, was wait for the bell.

_GONG!_

They rushed toward them. One team where blue, the other, black. The leaders, that is, the men Shadow suspected to be the leader, rushed to hit each other. Their feet, kicking at the ball as they did so. It must have been a heavy ball, as one kick only sent it a few feet away. One member on the black team grabbed it. Rolling with the heavy object, he made his way quickly to the other team's goal. Of course, this action wouldn't go without resistance. One member on the blue team got in between his foe and the goal. When one moved right, the other would move accordingly. Suddenly, a black member glided over his ally. Smiling, the teammate on the ground tossed up the heavy ball, so his ally could grab it. He did so quickly, and spun around as he held the heavy ball in his hand. He landed over his opponents, leaped up, and tossed that heavy ball. It slammed on the side of the goal, netting his team one solid point.

The crowd went wild with cheers, as the teams returned to their posts. Blue on one side, black on the other. After another gong of the bell, they rushed each other. Tackles, close-lines, punches were thrown, all in the name of gaining that coveted sphere. Blood was spilled eventually between the warring teams, but neither cared. To them, only the game mattered.

Shadow had to lean back as he watched the carnage unfold. Everyone was cheering so wildly, save for him. Glances at Tikal showed that, she too, was enjoying the game, screaming as she watched the games. It made Shadow grab her, in order to calm her down.

"I thought you disliked violence?" he questioned.

"This?" she responded, blue eyes filled with happiness, "Starman! This isn't violent! This is the games."

"Yeah," he responded, sarcastically, "This isn't violent."

"It isn't though!" she said, smiling, "The games are a way the men of our tribe show their strength. It's honorable to be in the games, for it shows your attributes. Your speed, your power, your endurance. All of these things put your mark on the tribe. It's not just a game, Shadow, it's a rite of passage."

"A... rite of passage?" he questioned.

"Yes..."

He stood.

Everyone in the tribe glared at the hedgehog that stood from the rings. Even the games at the bottom came to a dead stop. Realizing what the hedgehog was going to do, Tikal grabbed a hold of him. He shook her off, however, and started making his way down the arena's seats. The closer he got to the arena, the more he could hear chants.

_All hail the Starman_.

He got closer, and closer, before leaping down onto the dusty battlefield. His fists opened and closed, as he made his way to one side of the field. The team on this side, that is the black side, quickly shuffled away from him. All eyes were locked on him now, as those chants started to die out. He crossed his arms, and shot daggers at his foes. Surely, it was a taunt, a taunt saying 'Who dares face the Starman'. Did he even know what he was getting himself into.

Some of the black team and some of the blue team ran away. Before Shadow, stood a group of three. Two blue, one black. The ball was lain between them. Goal behind, goal forward. No one had to say anything, they just waited.

_GONG!_

Shadow ran forward. So did the other team. The hedgehog felt his energy returning. He ran faster, and faster, and eventually reached the ball before they did. The echidna before him rushed forth with a shoulder. Shadow, knowing that _any_ punch from an echidna is bound to hurt, leaped over the attack. His foot grazed the side of the echidna's shoulder, while his other foot, slammed into the back of his head. Propelling himself forward from the attack, he reached out for the ball. He grabbed it.

Just as he hypothesized, the ball was heavier than he suspected. It tugged him down briefly, as he held it in his hand. Gaining his bearings after holding the object, he glanced up. Before him, another echidna. This one slammed down its powerful fist on his position. The hedgehog quickly moved out the way, however, landing on his hands and toes. Still holding the ball in his hand, he aimed his eyes for the goal that lied some ways away. After getting his feet moving, he started off for the goal on the other end of the arena.

More sand was kicked up, as he noticed another foe make his way toward him. This echidna was faster than the others, as Shadow was caught off guard by his quick movements. Regardless, he was ready to face this new foe. Coming to a complete stop, he eyed the quick one before him. The echidna leaped forward with a fist, and punched forward. Shadow juked to the right, dodging the punch. To his surprise, his gut met the echidna's knees. He quickly fell onto his back, and rolled into a ball. Bouncing away, he landed on the wall, and leaped off. Before him the echidna team had regrouped, ready to take the ball from his hands.

Shadow gave a slight growl. That went silent, however, against the screaming masses. Those chants of his name, grew and grew, as the games were surely heating up. Shadow took the time to glance at the arena full of echidnas. One of them stuck out in his mind.

Tikal screamed his name, over and over again.

He glared forward. The powerful men of the other team were growing nearer. One of them leaped in the air and started gliding. Shadow grinned. With a mighty leap, he jumped up, and started gliding as well. The arena went deathly silent, as they 'Ooooh'ed, and 'Aaawww'ed with surprise. The Starman was gliding, much like them. He held onto the ball, dodged the echidna before him, and made his way closer to the goal. His chin met a fist.

One of those echidnas delivered a powerful uppercut, sending Shadow back. He landed with a heavy slam, where he could have sworn he lost a few minutes of his life. His beliefs were rightfully placed, as when he got up, the ball was away from his hands. One of his enemies was making his way toward the goal, while the other two held him down. The black and red hedgehog gave an annoyed growl, as he started doing something no echidna had ever seen before.

He started spinning.

Faster and faster, his spin dash went, eventually blowing away his constrictors. Shifting his body toward the ball owner, he suddenly launched himself forward. He rolled off the sand floor, off the walls, and eventually, off of the goal. Locking his body onto the ball owner, he rushed forward, and slammed into his chest. At the same time, he dislodged the ball from his hand. The hedgehog grabbed the ball in midair, then dashed forward in a glide. He got closer, and closer to the goal, while the other echidnas got ready to stop him. Growling, the hedgehog stuck forth his feet, and landed on one's head. Leaping off of that one, he landed on another one, and leaped off. The three echidnas behind him, he made his way to the goal that hung high in the arena.

The ball fell through the ring.

Once more, the crowd went wild with cheers and chortles. He glanced up to the stands, finding those chants to be louder and more crazed, as crowds went wild with screams. Shadow found himself waving to the stands, as surprising as that sounds. This all felt.

Good.

Walking over to the echidna's he just defeated, he smiled. But not a devilish, mean, or cocky one, this one was more along the lines of 'You've done well'. And those same echidnas did what all echdinas do to show respect.

They punched his hands, of course. One right after another. _One_ right after _another_.

As the hedgehog groaned in pain, the echidna men around him spoke of him in reverence and respect, finding it to be an honor to play their games with one of his stature. He merely nodded, as the pain running through his hands was too much to bear.

Soon after, he exited the arena and returned to the stands. Crossing his arms once more, he found a nubile girl to be hugging him. But that wasn't Tikal. In fact, nor was the other woman who grabbed him, or the other, and other. Before he knew it, he was being surrounded by these, obviously, single girls, all trying to pry the clothes from his body.

…

"Uh... your women are just as strong as your men..." the hedgehog commented, breathing in heavily.

The orange girl who sat beside him offered to share a few of her berries. He took the purple objects quickly, and placed them in his mouth. As the little orbs exploded in his mouth, he reveled in their deliciousness. The noises he made thanks to them made the orange echidna beside him giggle.

"What, Starman?" she commented, "Find it hard to believe? We're the same, our people are."

"Yes, I know that," he said, glancing at her, "But they looked so skinny. How do you get that strong?"

Tikal laughed out loud, as her body slid closer to his.

"I know," she said, "Sometimes, I'm surprised by how strong I am."

The two sat on the top of a hill. The fields around them were very visible, as well as the Master Emerald. It sat on its altar, as usual, while Chaos 0 played with the Chao around him. The sun was beginning to set now, showing that the day was coming to a close. And what a day it was.

"How do you do that?" she suddenly inquired, as if they were having some conversation.

"Do what?" he asked.

"That... thing you do, when you're in a ball, and then you dash. You did it in the cave against the gizoid, and then again during the games. How do you do that?"

"It's called a spin dash," he stated, easily, "I... roll into a ball... spin... then propel myself forward. Honestly, it's a lot harder to perform than it looks."

"I wanna learn!" she said, getting up, "Teach me, how to do that... spin dash!"

"Do you really want to learn?"

"Uh-huh!" she stated, earnestly, "I taught you how to climb and glide, teach me how to spin dash!"

Getting to his feet, he suddenly nodded. His hands suddenly found her shoulder, and he whispered in her ear to crouch. She did so.

"Its easy," he continued to whisper, "Just... visualize yourself as a ball, okay? Like when you jump and flip, but only on the earth. Do that."

"That sounds really hard."

"Just think on it... it'll come..."

"Well... I am..."

His hands left her body.

"You need to kick your feet up. They'll help get you the inertia to start. After that, the rest of your body should come in to place. And stay in a perfect ball, or else things will start to hurt, real quick."

Her eyes closed shut, and she started to breathe heavily. Kicking up her feet as per his order, she found it harder to do what he stated. She could see herself as a ball, but actually spinning was the difficult part.

"Just like when you flip in the air," his order came, "But on the ground."

"Just like when I flip in the air," she repeated, "But on the ground."

"Duck your head down..." he whispered.

She did. With a kick of her feet, she felt them lift, while her head spun under her. Quickly, she rolled into the same crouching position as last time. She did it again. She spun in place. She stopped again, just like last time. Giving a hard face, she started to roll in place again, but instead of stopping, she continued. Eyes closed, she felt herself spin and spin and spin, over and over again.

"You're doing it, Tikal," he whispered, "Now... just stay focus."

But she couldn't. Her giddiness got the better of her, and she unfurled her ball. The gained momentum sent her flying forth, where she happened to land right atop Shadow.

The two tumbled down the hillside, before they finally stopped. How did they stop? Shadow lay under her, while she lay atop him. Her hands lay beside his head, while his body lay cradled in her shade. The two didn't know how they got here, but they did.

There was this air. This alluring air that floated between the two. Tikal's giggly face, quickly melted away, as she gazed down to this hedgehog before her. He glared back up. That stoic and calm face of his quickly faded away.

The silence grew unbearable. They had no idea what to do.

But an idea was born within the both of them.

Tikal's eyes grew half closed. Shadow's eyes grew half closed. They continued to look at each other. The nubile girl's head started to move down, as her eyes grew shut. Shadow's eyes grew shut as well. Tikal's fingers started to grind into the earth beside his head. His hands moved up, and gripped her waist lightly. In the darkness of their minds, they felt their lips pucker.

They stopped.

In unison, their eyes opened up wide. Tikal's face grew frantic and fearful. She stood up from Shadow's body, patted down her skirt, then said, in an unsure tone,

"I-I've got to go..."

Shadow didn't say anything. He just stared, as his face grew indifferent again. Tikal's feet brought her farther and farther away, eventually making it to the stone bridge that lead to the city. And Shadow, he just stared, saying nothing.

The stone doors closed shut.

* * *

_Trivia Time!_

_I actually really want to talk about this chapter, soooooooooo, let's get cracking! _

_First off, Tikal's mother. I don't think they've said much about her mother across the various continuities. I just know she's Tikal's mother, and the died when Tikal was young. I used to think her mother died because of child birth, but they say Tikal was alive, however. I don't know. Maybe it's child birth, maybe it's not. Who knows? Seriously, who knows? Well, I thought it was cool to make Tikal's mother the Master Emerald guardian before she was, or, Chaos was. That's where the blue bands come into play, and Tikal's ability to manipulate Chaos Energy. She got it from her mother, as well as the days she spent around the Master Emerald and Chaos Emeralds. So, yeah. By the by, the ability Tikal exhibited when she went through Shadow's mind by accident, it works similarly to when she appeared as a spirit, and made the characters of SADX see her past. Just some Chaos fun, ya'know?_

_Next, the game the echidnas were playing. Believe it or not, that's a real game ancient races used to play. Or so I believe. I can't remember if its mayan, aztec, or incan, but bear with me. Ya see, it's an intense game, one where teams of three go at it, while there's a goal ring. The teams try to get a heavy ball through the ring to win the game. Hitting the side of the goal nets a point, getting that heavy ball through the ring wins the game. It was nigh impossible to get the ball through the ring, so you can imagine why it would automatically win the game. I learned that from a documentary I watched years ago in history class. Yeah, I actually learned something from school! Cool, huh?_

_Oh well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I enjoyed writing it, so yeah. Please review and the like._

_How are more vieras born if their are no men? No answer? Okay then._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	9. Those Virgin Lips

Those Virgin Lips

She leaned back on the hard stone wall. Her chest moved up and down in quick intervals, as gasps for breaths escaped her lips. Laying her hand on her forehead, she tried to come to terms with what she _almost_ did. In her mind, to _almost_ do something, is as bad as doing it itself. And boy, did she feel bad.

What was she thinking back there? To kiss him? The Starman? That's near blasphemous! He's a gift from the gods, surely, not some echidna man. Besides, it was wrong for her to kiss a man before marriage, such acts were against the gods. And against her better judgment. Why hadn't he stopped her?Why hadn't he pushed her off, like he should have done. Would he have kissed her back? The orange furred echidna wasn't sure.

Damn that Shadow the hedgehog. He was messing with her mind, and she didn't like it. Not one bit.

Her feet brought her farther, and farther away. Bed was a godsend right now, even though the evening was young. She needed to set her mind free of these thoughts. Go back to the young staple of perfection that she was.

Truly, he is a demon. A corrupter. He was doing things to her she didn't understand, nor liked. And she wanted to have no part in it.

…

The black and red hedgehog hadn't moved in the least bit. His ruby eyes trekked back up to the sky, in order to see the orange and yellow shades emitting from the setting sun. The wind had become still, for no grass moved, and no sounds stirred. It was as if time had stopped, but ever so briefly.

What was he thinking? Why were they like that, just a few moments ago? Were they really about to kiss? The thought of it made his stomach churn, but not in a negative way. He could imagine it. Her lips, pressed against his, her fragrance, filling his nose, their bodies, meeting one another. Would it be enjoyable? He was sure of it. To claim the girl's lips for himself, was a thought he found to be, pleasurable.

But these were emotions he was not used to. Just as good as the thought was, it was bad. He didn't understand what he was feeling, and when faced with things he didn't understand, he did what he always did. He got angry.

His body quickly got to his feet. Hands, grinded into fists, while teeth bore fangs. Eyes closed shut, while his demonic figure began to quake. A few growls exited his lips, as he tried to come to terms with that which he did not like.

He was going to make his way home, and now. It wouldn't take long for him to reach his rocket, and surely, he'd be able to leave. That girl. That natural girl back there, was mushing up his mind, and he didn't like it. Not one bit.

Truly, she is an angel. A changer. She was doing things to him he didn't understand, nor liked. And he wanted to have no part of it.

He straightened himself up. The rage he held quickly dulled itself, as his eyes aimed for the mountain ridge. His feet started moving, but he didn't get far.

"Starman!" a voice called.

The hedgehog's arms crossed over one another. Feet turning, he faced the speaker. A tall, muscular echidna man, one who easily dwarfed him in size, and probably power. But the sight of the man revealed something. He was one of the fellows Shadow defeated in the echidna games. In fact, he was still wearing the blue garments that showed what team he resided on.

"You..." the hedgehog answered, his tone a whisper.

The ruby echidna nodded, while a smile grew on his tanned muzzle. Stepping forward, he came before the Starman, and immediately bowed.

"That game we had was the most fun I've had in a while, it was an honor."

Respect. That was what Shadow was feeling right now. Where he came from, respect was always hard to find. Normally, it was fused with some kind of fear, or hatred, if that makes any sense. But here, these echidnas respected him.

He liked that.

"I came to ask a favor of you, Starman." the echidna said, getting to his feet.

"And that would be?" the hedgehog inquired.

"I want to learn that technique you did!" he said, standing tall, "Where you balled up into a sphere, and rocketed over the arena at speeds no one could see! If you could teach me that, I'll take the echidna games by storm!"

With an unsure glance, Shadow looked to the right. His mind was still thinking on the fresh events that happened between him and a certain echidna girl. Hopefully, this wouldn't end up the same way.

"So you want to learn how to spin dash, huh?" he asked, looking to him.

The echidna merely nodded with enthusiasm.

"Okay, I'll teach you. But first..." he walked up and gripped the echidna's gloves, "You need to get me pair of these."

"AH! My gloves!" he said, smiling, "Tell me, Starman, do you plan on climbing or treasure hunting anytime soon?"

"I... suppose you can say that..." the hedgehog answered.

"If you do," he said, smiling, "Then I want to have a part in it!"

"A part in what?"

"Your treasure hunting! C'mon!" he stretched forward his hands, "The city blacksmith will create the perfect gloves for you!"

"Tell me, echidna, what is your name!"

"Ticab, Starman. My name is Ticab."

…

Her toe teased the edge of the water. A slight stinging pain entered her digit, but it quickly faded away. Steam arose from the water, showing just how hot it was. Her finger loosened on the sheet covering her body, allowing it to fall at her back. With a low moan, he entered the body of steaming hot water. First her legs, then her waist, her torso, and then her shoulders. She gazed down to the steaming hot water, as her mind finally came to an ease.

Shadow. He was still on her mind. She couldn't run away from him, even in her thoughts. Hands reaching under the tub, she grabbed her knees, and pulled them up. The steaming hot water warmed her body, releasing the tension she held within. She felt her muscles loosen, as her body fell and grew limber. Eyes closing, she tried to focus on something else.

And, once again, her mind brought her right back to him. But now, it was stronger.

In the darkness of her mind, she felt his hands grip her shoulders. She let out a gasp at the invisible touch, as his powerful appendages pulled her close. She couldn't escape him, he was much to strong. He held her down, and, after a few minutes, she ceased her struggles. She felt herself being lifted, and placed on his lap, where his hands left her shoulders. She felt them slide across her legs, causing her to coo warmly. Those coos eventually became moans, as he started to rub her inner thighs. Her eyes started to bend down, as she thought about the situation.

Wrong, all of it was so very wrong. She felt it, boil within her. She wasn't like this, he couldn't treat her like this. She opened her eyes. Her blue orbs trekked down to his hands, as they lied beneath the water, caressing her.

"Stop it..." she whispered.

"You don't mean that..." his demonic voice echoed back.

"This is wrong..." she stated.

"This is right..." he answered.

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Stop it... stop it now..."

She turned to meet his face. Nothing. There was nothing there.

Her eyes blinked, and she dragged her arms across her face. He was never there, of course. Just a figment of her, over active, imagination. Great, that made her feel worse. It was like her body was working against her, and they were acting in unison with her emotions. She felt wrong. Just oh, so very, wrong.

Her hand met her forehead, and she groaned in defeat. Butterflies were filling her stomach. Her fingers started twiddling with one another. Her eyes closed.

"No..." she whispered, "No... why...?"

She was in love.

…

"Iron worker!" the echidna called, hand raising above his head.

Shadow entered the dark room, and was immediately blasted with heat and steam. He tried to stand, but this place was just _that_ hot. Funny, for Ticab seemed completely unhindered by the heated area. He entered the room slowly, while at the same time removing the blue garbs from his body. Shadow followed moments later, and following the accord of the echidna before him, removed the iron plating that lied over his chest.

Deeper into the dark area they walked, with Ticab calling for the iron worker every now and then. No one seemed to answer, unfortunately, which caused them to trek even deeper into the home. And the deeper they went in, the hotter it got. Before Shadow knew it, he was panting, as his hand dragged sweat from his brow.

"Where are we?" he questioned of Ticab.

"Oh, here?" the ruby echidna responded, "The iron worker's home is connected directly to the lavas of Red Mountain and Lava Reef. The gods bless these kind of lavas but, why am I telling you this, you _are _a gift from the gods."

"Yeah... a gift from the gods..." he answered, solemnly.

"Iron worker!" Ticab called out louder, "Show yourself! We have a very special guest!"

Ticab's heavy hands landed on a steel door, and he opened it wide. If Shadow thought the heat outside was bad, the heat inside was deadly. A great pool of lava sat in the center, boiling and popping constantly. Many weapons lay around, all of varying shapes and sizes. The floor itself was made of metal, showing that the iron worker took his work to heart.

"Iron worker! Are you here!"

"Ticab!" a small, female voice cried.

She popped up from behind a work station. Her furry white muzzle and orange fur, revealed something odd. As she skipped her way to the tall echidna, her tail swooshing in the wind, she showed that she was no echidna, but instead a fox.

Wearing clothing like that of all female tribesmen, she also held various pieces of tempered steel on her body.

"Ticab, I'm happy you arrived and..." she stopped as her cerulean eyes moved to Shadow, "Starman!"

She fell to her knees immediately, as her lips mumbled prayers. Shadow was so awestruck that a fox was among the echidnas, that he merely stared in minor shock. Eventually, he waved his hand, sending an invisible signal to the fox girl to stand. She did so quickly, and shuffled her hands behind her, as she stared at the hedgehog before her.

"Starman," she called, "What are you doing here?"

"The Starman wishes for gloves," Ticab answered, "So who better to make some than the iron worker?"

"Is that true, Starman?" the fox questioned, minor fear in her voice.

He nodded.

"If you don't mind my asking," he thus continued, "Who are you?"

She smiled, a childish smile, while her toes got her closer to the being before her.

"I know what you mean, Starman," she answered, "About me being a fox, right?"

The hedgehog nodded.

"My name is Millikan," she continued, "I'm, obviously, not born of the Knuckles tribe. My father, that is the iron worker of this tribe, found me when I was only a baby. I've lived here ever since."

The hedgehog nodded, while his arms crossed over one another. He appeared to be pleased with her answer, which made her happy as well. Turning around, she thus placed her hands near her mouth, to strengthen her next call.

"PAPA! TICAB AND THE STARMAN ARE HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU!"

Just like last time, silence filled the air.

The lava began to bubble.

Shadow stepped back, as his eyes watched the molten rock before him rise and rise. Ticab and Millikan appeared to be calm, however. The lava continued to rise, before a hand stuck out from it. Covered in metal, the lava clawed out, eventually bringing the rest of its body out as well. Clad in armor, the metallic being stepped out, allowing the lava to return to its pool. The being grew nearer, however, bringing along with it much heat. Finally, it stopped, just a few feet before Shadow, and its hands found its metallic head.

The being before him removed its helmet, revealing a blue echidna underneath. He was an aged fellow, and looked as if he had seen his fair share of hardships. At the same time, he exeunted power and authority, over those he came across.

"Papa..." Millikan said in a scolding tone, "It's not nice to hold our guest! Especially the Starman."

The armor wearing echidna dropped his helmet, while a smile curled on his muzzle.

"Sorry Millikan," he answered, his voice stoic and loving, "I seemed to have lost track of time."

The purple orbs the echidna owned moved over to Shadow, where his smile diminished.

"Starman?" he called, "To what do I owe this honor?"

Shadow found his feet moving forward, where he eventually came to the echidna's face.

"Gloves..." he stated, "I need gloves... like all of yours."

The tall blue echidna nodded, while he turned around.

"I see," he said, giving a sigh, "So, a gift from the gods asks me for help... I'm honored, honestly."

"Do you mind my asking," Shadow said, walking forward, "How did you... do that?"

"Walk through lava?" the iron worker said, facing him.

"Yes..." Shadow stated.

"It's easy, really. The armor is my special creation. Born from hours of work, and items confiscated from the Nocturnus tribe. But I digress..."

He continued removing the armor on his body, laying it on the ground as he did so. Finally, he made his way to a steel hammer, and he grabbed it tightly. Purple eyes looking at Shadow, he raised the hammer, and started talking.

"What gloves best suits the Starman?" he questioned.

"I don't know," Shadow stated, walking forth, "You tell me, iron worker."

The blue echidna smiled.

"Please, call me Bicab." he commented, raising the hammer.

…

"So what is the story between you and Tikal?"

Bicab's question came from virtually nowhere.

The black and red hedgehog's eyes opened up, as he gave a yawn. He had fallen asleep shortly after getting used to the heat in this room. Ticab and Millikan left shortly after Bicab started working, leaving the black hedgehog alone with the taller blue echidna.

But back to the question at hand. Shadow wasn't sure how he was supposed to react. Gazing at the echidna before him, he slowly uncrossed his arms. Bicab appeared to be into his work, but his attention lay solely on the hedgehog before him.

"What was that?" Shadow questioned, making sure Bicab said those words.

The blue echidna glanced up at him, and smiled.

"You and the chief's daughter," he said, confirming Shadow's belief's, "What is going on between you two?"

Shadow felt uncomfortable with the echidna's words, and crossed his arms, showing his point. This had the opposite effect on the echidna, however, for Bicab merely laughed.

"I see, I see," he commented, his hammer slamming against the metal before him, "Don't want to talk about it, huh?"

Shadow's ruby eyes squinted at him, before they closed.

"I made that blue band you wear now, ya'know." that got Shadow's attention.

His ruby eyes opened up, and he glared at Bicab. The blue echidna was grinning devilishly, while his hammer continued to slam against the steel.

"Yup," he continued, "I remember that day. Tikal's mother went wild with these powers only her mother understood. They came to me, requesting a band that could inhibit her Chaos Powers. I study those Emeralds for weeks, before I came up with that inhibitor ring, if you will."

Shadow's ears twitched at the noise of the name. Inhibitor ring. He didn't know how to feel right now.

"I guess," Bicab went on, "I'm honored that you are wearing something of my own design. But how does Pachacamac feel about it?"

"He doesn't like it..." Shadow found himself answering, almost unconsciously.

Bicab chuckled lowly, as his hammer clashed against his work once more.

"I figured as much," he answered, violet eyes moving down to his work, "Pachacamac really did love his wife. You may be a Starman, but he finds it to be a dishonor that you wear her ring."

"Tikal gave it to me..." Shadow answered, once again to his own surprise.

"I figured as much," Bicab answered, "The girl really didn't know her mother. To her, it may as well just be a normal ring."

His hammer clashed against his work once more, causing sparks to fly. Giving a smile, he continued talking.

"But enough about the ring," he said, "More about you and Tikal. What is going on between you two?"

With most things, Shadow was quick to answer. But with this one, he hesitant.

"Nothing..." he stated.

Bicab smiled and nodded, though he showed that he knew more than he was letting on. After another clash of his hammer, he dropped the item.

"Are you sure?" he questioned, "You two look really cute together."

As Shadow's head started to cock at an angle, the echidna before him started laughing. Waving his hands around, he seemed to dismiss his own words, as chuckles still exited his maw.

"I am sorry," he stated, "It is not in my place to question you."

If this was any normal day, Shadow would have said, 'Yes, it is not in your place'. But things were not normal today. Despite being trapped in the past with no powers and limited strength, the hedgehog could feel a sense of truth in the echidna's words. Throughout his time here, he's felt a certain kind of connection when around the orange furred girl.

"Me personally," Bicab continued, grabbing a hold of the tempered steel before him, "I think Tikal likes you."

He lifted the item he had been working on for hours. Gauntlets with spiked knuckle tips.

"You didn't notice it at the games," Bicab said, "But I did. The way she watched you play. Her face brightened up with every move you made, every person you dodged, and every action you performed." he looked at Shadow and started walking forward, "She's smitten with you, Starman."

His open hands reached forward, still holding the gauntlets he just created. Shadow's hands reached out, and grabbed them.

"You were at the games, yesterday?" Shadow asked.

"Of course I was," Bicab answered, stepping back, "I always go when my son plays."

"And your son is?"

"Ticab, of course."

"Now that I think about it... that makes sense."

"He gets much of his looks from his mother, Starman."

The aged iron worker thus began laughing, whilst clashing his fists into one another. After a while, his hand fell atop Shadow's shoulder, and his chuckling died out.

"Good game earlier too... I've never seen someone move that fast before."

Shadow gained a smile, and his hands started to groove into the gauntlets. They slid on his hands, and despite Shadow's fears, the items were heavy on his hands. They were just right, just perfect.

"Like I said," Bicab said, answering Shadow's none existent question, "It's been an honor making things for you."

"It's just so perfect." Shadow stated.

"Its my job." Bicab answered, hand on chest.

The black and red hedgehog stood tall before the echidna now. And, remembering an action from earlier that day, he pulled back his fists, and slammed it into Bicab's. The action made the older blacksmith chuckle.

"You're learning." he said.

Shadow couldn't help but to smile.

"Yeah," he said, glancing at his knew gauntlets, "It seems I am..."

The hedgehog turned around a moment later, and started off for the exit. Before he did, however, Bicab had one last tomb of wisdom.

"She's a good girl, Starman. You don't get that much often."

Shadow found his ears twitching at the call.

…

She was still twiddling her fingers.

The moonlit sky was casted overhead, alongside those shimmering stars. As she sat on the bridge's stone railing, her blue eyes moved over to the Master Emerald altar. The great rock was still there, of course, shining as it usually did. But she didn't care for that, not now, at least. She was waiting, waiting for him to arrive.

Honestly, she didn't want him to come. She wanted him to stay at wherever he was staying, so she could have her moment of peace. But part of her wanted him to come, part of her _begged_ for his position. Where was he? She questioned herself, praying for his arrival. It burned her. It pained her. It spurned her to keep waiting.

The stone doors opened up wide. A low, malicious yawn exited _his_ lips, as he made _his_ way down the stone bridge. She heard _his_ footsteps grow and grow, causing her eyes to close shut. They continued, and suddenly stopped.

Silence.

"Tikal..." he said.

She felt her heart flutter, yet again. What was it about the man before her, that made her feel so little and small. She felt so childish right now, fearing what he may or may not say. But it was that same fear of the unknown, that pushed her forward.

"Shadow..." she whispered, answering his call.

Her blue eyes finally opened. First, they trekked along the grew bridge, before meeting its target. Shadow just stared at her, unsure of the feelings _he_ himself should be feeling. So, once again, they just stared in silence.

But then he moved. He took a step forward. Tikal wilted at the movement, and scooted a few feet away from him. The hedgehog's indifferent visage remained. He stepped forward, again. Just like last time, she scooted away, but this time, she brought up he hands in a defensive manner.

All the bravado, all of the vigor, all of her faith that lead her here, disappeared so quickly. She wished she never left her home. She wished she had stayed in bed, and slept through this, just like she planned. But she didn't. She sat here, before this man who made her stomach churn.

Before the man that she loved.

And it scared her.

She caused the same events of earlier to play out again. She patted down her skirt, and started to walk cautiously toward the stone doors. Her eyes never left Shadow, however. He stepped forward to talk to her, but that caused her movements to speed up. She started to walk faster and faster away, while her eyes trained on him. As he walked up, her back met the doors. And just like last time, she made her way through.

All that echoed, were the croaks of bugs.

Shadow gazed at the closed-door longingly. He felt his hear stall. Grabbing on his chest, he tried to jump-start it, but it didn't work. Once again, the hedgehog growled. His anger returned, while his ruby eyes went over to the horizon.

Screw this.

He was making his way home and now. The echidnas have treated him nicely yes, but he never expected all of this to happen. The sooner he gets home, the better. Then he'll be free. Be free of these people who respect him, and the natural girl who acts like an angel.

Its been said that home is where the heart is. But Shadow couldn't help but to feel that his heart lay somewhere else. And he was leaving that 'somewhere else'.

Before he left, he took a gander over the bridge. He could see his reflection in the river under him. He looked so different, wearing these clothes meant for echidnas. Gone were the gloves he had since he was a child, and here were these gloves made by a certain nubile girl, and gone were his air shoes, to be replaced by these sandals made by the same girl. Funny, really. He had forgotten all about his gloves and shoes until this very moment.

But enough about that. He had these gloves, and this band. His Chaos Powers may not be as strong as they should be, but once he got to his metal bird, err, ship, he'll make his way home.

Because home is where the heart is.

His feet started moving. His dark frame aimed for the mountain ridge.

* * *

_Trivia Time!_

_First, before I begin, no the story isn't coming to an end any time soon. As far as I know, at least. Cause, ya'know, I tend to write long stories and such. Now! To the trivia!_

_When writing this chapter, I wanted to focus on Shadow and Tikal's feelings for each other. Especially Tikal's which I think I nailed. She supposed to be an angel, ya'know, so falling for someone as evil looking as Shadow is frown upon. But that's not why Tikal is so hurt, its more of an emotional thing. She's supposed to be strong, but she's still a girl. And let's face it, we all go through fears when it comes to love, Tikal included. Shadow's much the same way, he just deals with it in a different manner. When faced with something he doesn't understand, he gets angry. He wants things to fall in order, but love doesn't necessarily fall into any set plan, so it pisses him off. Of course he'd want to run away from something as chaotic as love, he's Shadow the hedgehog! He wants things to work and work smoothly!_

_Now, onto something less psychological. The echidnas Shadow met up with. Ticab is the name of a mayan god. Ticab is the god of the earth, and knowing that the echidna race is very down to earth, I found it to be a perfect name. I was originally going to make his name Knuckles, ya'know to be Knuckles ancestor, but I said no to that. Ticab is just another random echidna. Bicab, his father, is also the name of a mayan god, this time the old god of the interior of the earth and of thunder. Wow, that's a mouth full. Millikan, the fox, is supposed to be a throw back to Tails, obviously. Is she Tails' ancestor though? I'll let you decide. Plus, her name, Millikan, is not anything mayan, as far as I know. Her name was going to be Millian, but spell checker said it should be Millikan, and I found Millikan to be a better name so yeah._

_Well, one more chapter down. Day after day I write these things, so I know my favoriters and followers are loving this. Go ahead, admit it. I suppose I'm to generous but, whatever, I just really love writing. So, the same old same old, read it, review it, love it, hate it, tell me._

_In the night, dream delight, I want to see you standing there._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	10. Entrapment

Entrapment

The spiked tips on his bronze gauntlet, dove into the wall. The black and red hedgehog groaned out, as sweat started to drag against his brow. Turning around, he felt a powerful gust of wind ruffle against his quills. A haggard groan exited his lips at the feeling, as he brought his other hand up higher. Once again, he slammed it into the wall, creating an indent which comfortably held his fist. Over and over again, he repeated this task, climbing the wall with every movement he made. The clean surface of this rock side made it hard to scale, but not impossible. Every time he felt the need to quit, he remembered a certain voice, echoing in his mind.

_Let the gloves work for you. Don't try to work the gloves._

But no. He didn't want _her_ commands in his mind. Not now. All that mattered, was getting back home.

Home.

Home.

His hand finally cleared the cliff's edge. He pulled himself up, and groaned out to the wind. Ruby eyes turning around, he scanned the entire length that lead him here. So far down was the grassy fields around the mountains. And, if he glared hard enough, he could see the great city of Cielo Isla glaring back at him. A strong gust of wind turned against him, causing his face to look away. Scanning the rocky mountain top, he started off for his ship.

His feet brought him near a ravine, one that split right through the mountain. His ruby eyes revealed to him something interesting, however. Metal pieces were sprinkled everywhere, much to the hedgehog's horror.

"Dammit..." he murmured as his feet brought him over the edge.

He landed on the bottom ground, where his feet drove into the black earth. His feet brought him down the rocky ravine, his hand dragging against the wall. He etched his way farther and farther, eventually clearing the wall. On the other end.

Nothing.

Shadow scanned the ground and wall. It looked as if something had crashed here, but said object was nowhere near. It made the hedgehog think.

"Where are you?" he questioned out loud, expecting no answer.

His feet brought him to the crash site of the mysterious object. Crouching down, he dragged his hand along the soft dirt. More steel was displaced, much to his displeasure, as he could find the object everywhere. Hand falling atop one piece, he lifted it up high, and stared at it.

"They say," a voice echoed, causing him to straighten up, "You fly amongst the stars in a metal bird."

The hedgehog stood up tall, and his fists tightened up.

"Is that true," the voice continued, "Starman?"

The hedgehog continued to search for the speaker, but ultimately, he found none.

"You know," that same voice, "We echidnas worship a being named, Enerjak. Only an echidna with a body strong enough, can manifest into this being. If it were placed into anything, _weaker_, that person would be destroyed. No exceptions."

Shadow felt his anger start to increase, honestly.

"Along my life, I have only met one echidna who could hold such power. The original guardian of the Master Emerald. That girl's mother. But she's dead now, funny, right?"

"Who are you?" the hedgehog barked, "What do you want?"

His eyes moved up. On the top of the ravine, wearing a purple robe, was a being. Said being leaped down to the earth beside him, and stood up tall. The being before him moved back the hood, revealing his white furred body, and gold-colored eyes.

"You..." the hedgehog stated, "You're that echidna who attacked the Master Emerald."

Here before Shadow the hedgehog, stood the crazed zealot, Dr. Finitevus. The smile the albino echidna wore melted away slowly, forming a frown of indifference. He stepped forward, but Shadow showed he was in no mood for games. Raising his fists, he took a defensive stance, one that stopped the echidna dead in his tracks.

"I see," he commented, "Don't want to play, huh?"

"Who are you?" Shadow repeated.

"Me?" the echidna said, "Why, I'm the great scientist of the Nocturnus tribe, Dr. Finitevus."

Shadow shook his head however. He remembered fighting the Nocturnus tribe, but he didn't remember ever fighting one named Finitevus.

"I don't believe you..." the hedgehog stated.

Before him, he watched that albino echidna frown in ire. Raising his hand, however, the same echidna laid his fingers on his chin.

"I suppose such words would come from you," he stated, crossing his arms, "You being a, Starman, and all."

Suddenly, he began laughing, finding the mere statement hilarious. But, once again, just as fast as that demeanor came, it shifted back into that demonically charged stoicism from before. The Doctor was clearly a deranged being.

"I created the Gizoid," he suddenly stated, "And the one you killed was very special to me. It had the ability to-"

"Copy one's abilities," Shadow interrupted, "Yes, Dr., I know. I've fought one before."

The albino echidna's head cocked to the side, as he scanned the hedgehog before him. That frown turned into a smile, however, as he straightened up.

"I see... so there is more to you than meets the eye, Starman. Maybe you are a gift from the gods, but I feel as if something is different."

He stepped forward, his body swaying in such an evil manner.

"I've done my fair share of studying of those Chaos Emeralds, Starman, and I know of their powers. Partially, at least. I know that you didn't _really_ come from the heavens. Instead, the future."

Shadow's eyes squinted at the echidna's statement. How did he know? That question caused the hedgehog to spurn another.

"My ship. You took it, didn't you?"

The albino echidna started to laugh, as his gold eyes squinted.

"Indeed, hedgehog, indeed," he stated easily, "I stole your beloved metal bird."

"Give it back!" Shadow barked, fists tightening.

"I would love to, but I can't," Finitevus stated, "That ship... that ship is just way too advanced for me to give back."

"But you will!" the hedgehog roared.

"Oh, I will... if you do something for me."

Immediately, the hedgehog grew quiet. Of course. Of freaking, course. No decision in his life could ever be free of choice. Even now, as he glared holes into this foe, he felt his rage boil. He wasn't going to like this, not in the least bit.

"Tikal..." the echidna whispered, eyes slanting.

"What do you want with her?" Shadow inquired, slowly and maliciously.

"She's the strongest being on this planet right now. Her connection to the powers of the Chaos Emeralds is great and immeasurable. She may not know it, but she could easily wipe out all life is she so pleased. All she needs, is a little... _push_."

Shadow said nothing, though his glance made all the knowledge know.

"Enerjak, my boy," Finitevus stated, "She, and only she, can hold Enerjak. Bring her to me, and I'll deliver to you your precious metal bird."

"That's foolish!" Shadow suddenly barked, "If you know I come from the future, why would I help you change the past? That could ruin everything!"

"Ah, ah, ah!" Finitevus stated, finger wagging, "Not entirely, hedgehog. I know that there's more to the ship than you think. I know that, deep inside of it, there's a device that's supposed to multiply your powers. And the small little indent within the driver's seat, in held a Chaos Emerald, did it not? Your little blunder brought back _another_ Chaos Emerald. Making it a total of eight Chaos Emeralds, as opposed to the usual seven. I may not understand all the intricacies of time, but I know that simple mistake could screw over a lot of things. The seven Chaos Emeralds can already great one being godlike power, adding another. Well, that's down right omnipotence!"

"So you do have my Emerald." Shadow whispered.

"Of course." Finitevus replied, "And I'd willingly give it back, _if_ you bring me the one known as Tikal."

"For a doctor..." he crossed his arms, "You're pretty stupid."

"Eh?" Finitevus said, eyebrow raised, "And how?"

"You think that, for a second, I'd believe you? Really, that's a foolish idea to begin with! I may not know much about you, but its clear that you are a madman, and a dangerous one about that. But what makes the least amount of sense, is your believe that I would deliver to you someone like Tikal, even for a ticket home!"

"Really? You'd risk staying here in the past?"

"I'd risk a lot of things," Shadow stated, "But never Tikal. Not for a way back home."

"So, your only way home is through a girl you've known for a week now. And you'd gladly risk it all for her."

"It's a problem I have," he answered, "I find that I constantly sacrifice myself for people I barely know. I guess that's what makes me a hero."

"Her... hero...?" Finitevus stated.

"Everyone's hero..."

The albino doctor grew silent. Shadow figured that, at any moment, he would start laughing. In fact, he was expecting it. But, yet again, Finitevus surprised him.

He turned around, his cloak waving, and started off for the end of the ravine. The hedgehog, finding it odd that someone turned their back on him, stepped forward.

"What!?" he barked, "You think I'm just going to let you leave!?"

"Honestly," Finitevus stated, growing still, "I knew you wouldn't bite. I told _him_ that, I told _him_ you'd be too strong. But he remained arrogant in his ways." the doctor sighed, "Hurts me, really. I didn't want to have to do this."

"Him?" Shadow stated, "Who's him?"

Suddenly, the doctor spun around. Hand reaching from out of his cloak, he revealed a heavy gauntlet on his hand. An insidious grin appeared on his muzzle, while the gauntlet started to exeunt unknown power.

This was what Shadow was waiting for, a battle. Things rarely end in anything but, a battle. He took his pose, got ready to face his foe, when a powerful grip tightened around his arms and legs. The hedgehog tried to pry his body free, but he couldn't. Glancing back, he saw blue eyes shining back.

A Gizoid.

Suddenly, the doctor was before him. He slammed his deranged contraption on his chest, and started to laugh. Wild and sporadic lightning bolts were thrown from the area where the glove met Shadow's body. Even though he was going through the worst pain imaginable, he didn't yell or scream, he merely growled. But he felt something inside him. He felt something, _leaving_.

"You feel that!?" Finitevus roared, "Do you feel what's going on inside of you!?"

"What... are... you... doing!?" Shadow yelled back.

"Chaos Syphon!" he answered, "A new creation of mine! I've been wanting to test on that water guardian, but you will do! It's sole purpose, is to take away any Chaos Energy that lies within a being!" his grin grew, "And you'll suffice!"

"LET GO OF ME!" Shadow roared.

"I have to thank you, ya'know," Finitevus answered, ignoring his demand, "Had you not brought back that Chaos Emerald with you, this surely would not have happened!"

"Let go of me!" Shadow yelled, but weaker this time, "I said... let go..." even weaker, "Let... go..." weaker... "Let..."

He faltered. He fell.

…

Her eyes sprang open. At sudden and quick speeds, she sprung up. Her cerulean eyes moved left, then right, at quick speeds. Up and down, her chest pumped, panting running through her mouth. Her eyes constantly darted around her room at varying speeds, as she tried to come to terms with what she just saw. Her hand, raised into her dreads, and started to separate them, as her other hand, found her mouth. Glancing to her left hand, she found the busted gold ring that he owned. The one that connected her to him.

He was in trouble. That was no dream, nor a nightmare. That was the present. That was happening, and now.

She sprang from her bed quickly, the orange echidna did, a frantic visage on her face. She shuffled on those sandals quickly, and then bolted out of the room, despite the fact that she was only in her night-gown. She had a destination to make, and only her feet could bring her there in the time required.

She slammed through the stone doors, regardless of the sound it would make, and ran. Her frame passed the Emerald Altar without a second thought, as her rushing feet brought her closer and closer to the mountain ridge. She didn't know the time that had elapsed so far, but she didn't care. Her blue eyes scanned the rocky side, noticing the many indents created by echidna gloves. She covered her mouth.

"No..." she whispered to herself.

Her spiked glove slammed into the side, and she started climbing forward. With each punch, she felt her heart jump, fear gripping her. She really felt like crap now, as if everything that was going on, was her fault. It might as well have been, she didn't try to make things better between her and the Starman. She ran away from her problems. She ignored her feelings. And now, now, he was suffering for it.

But as she continued to get high on the mountain side, she couldn't help thinking. Why bother? Why should she care about what happened to Shadow? Yes, he was a gift from the gods, and yes, it would be her fault if anything happened to him, but it delved deeper than that. She couldn't help but to feel a piece of her soul being tugged because of her visions.

Wait. She heard it. She heard something get louder.

"LET GO OF ME!" she hear Shadow's voice roar.

"NO!" she yelled back.

Her arms started to work harder, getting her farther and farther of the cliff side. With each fist, each punch, she cleared more feet, more yards, all for the sake of saving him. All for his sake.

Her hand reached the mountain's top. The sound, the calls, they had already died out. But not the energy. She still felt it, flow in the air.

"Few..." she heard, "I thought your powers were out... Proved me wrong, you still had a lot in you."

She quickly made her way to the ravine. The talking got louder.

"You're an interesting little case," that voice continued, "But, I must say, I thought you'd fight harder than this."

She scaled down the ravine, and her feet brought her closer to the crash site.

"Leave him... he is of no used to us now..."

Tikal aimed her eyes over the rocky side. She saw two cloaked beings, and one specific hedgehog. They dropped the hedgehog, like a bag, and disappeared past rock formations.

Silence.

It took her a while to gain her strength. Her dainty foot moved past the rocky ground, and brought her closer to the being laying on the ground. The pure sight of it, made her voice get caught up in her throat. With every step she took to get closer, she felt her strength waver and loosen. Soon, she found her self on her knees, while his body laid just a few feet away.

"No..." she whispered, "Shadow... please..."

He didn't move. He just laid there. Still. Silent.

"Get up, Shadow!" she yelled, arm wrapping around his body, "Get up! I'm telling you!"

Silence. He didn't move, not in the least bit. His body remained as calm as could be. Like the time he crashed here, and she took it upon herself to tend to his body. How many times must this happen? How many times must she worry about this man she barely understood? When will it end?

"Please Shadow," she whispered, getting closer, "Get up..."

And still he remained. She started to hug his body close, as these faint tears started swelling down her cheeks. Her face, buried itself into his forehead, as she continued to cry. Her hard sobs constantly choked, while her sniffles echoed out. Failure. That's what she felt like. A failure. Again, this was happening. Again. Again.

She felt something being spurned within her. It was familiar, however, as if it happened before.

She tipped Shadow's head toward her on. Breathing, he was breathing, but ever so lowly. And she, she felt her eyes close. Down, her head move. Her hands increased the grip they held on his body. She puckered those lips of hers, as she felt the warmth of his muzzle get closer and closer.

She stopped.

Eyes springing open, she glared at the unconscious being before her. Her hands released on him, and she stood tall. Her breathing increased, and she started walking backwards. Her back soon met the rocky mountain side, while her blue eyes remained trained on him.

"Just who are you!?" she found herself yelling, "And why do you make me feel this way!?"

She felt a watery arm lie upon her shoulder. The cold, chilled, touch, made her turn to face the being beside her. With his green orbs, Chaos 0 stared back, silencing coming from his nonexistent mouth. She merely pointed at the black and red hedgehog before her, her eyes closing at the same time. She heard Chaos move forward, and once her eyes opened, she found that he carried Shadow in his hands. Her eyes closed again.

…

They fluttered open, the ruby orbs did. With a groan and a growl, he brought his head up. He could see only blurs, while he could feel only pain. His hand raised to the temple of his head, and in circular motions, he rubbed it. This, of course, did nothing, but it was better than actually doing nothing. His red eyes trekked down. Before him, his hands, which curled and uncurled to his whim. Almost by instinct, he gazed at the gold and blue rings that lied around his wrists.

For a brief moment, he didn't remember anything, before it hit him.

"Chaos Control!" he barked out.

And nothing happened.

"Chaos... Spear?"

Once again, nothing.

"Chaos Magic!" he ordered, with a snap of his fingers.

Only for, just like before, nothing to occur.

He couldn't feel it. And he knew why. He couldn't feel what no longer lay within him. All of it, his connection to it, was gone. No Chaos Force. No Chaos Energy. No Chaos Power. No nothing.

His feet tipped over the edge of the pedestal he lied on. Eyes glaring down, he looked only to the white flooring beneath him. Fists opening and closing, his eyes closed shut. He felt normal. His strength was there, his abilities too, but not his power. That was gone. All of it.

As his eyes opened back up, he glared up and around the room. They stuck him back inside the same temple from earlier.

"Oh! Starman!" a younger voice called.

He looked to the speaker. The red furred fox with shining blue eyes.

"Millikan..." he whispered.

She nodded with a smile, while her feet brought her closer to him. After reaching him, she gave a sunny smile, while her foxy tail bounced constantly.

"I'm happy you're awake now," she stated, "Tikal was so worried about you." the fox then got closer, "Between you and me... I think she has the hots for you..."

The hedgehog raised his eyebrow nonchalantly, while he waved his hand.

"Where is she?" he questioned.

"Where she's always at," Millikan responded, cockiness in her voice, "The Master Emerald Altar, probably praying as well."

With a cross of his arms, the hedgehog gave a nod to the red fox, before saying,

"Thanks..."

He hopped off of his pedestal next, where the craziest of things happened. He crashed into the earth weakly, and failed to return to his feet. It took Millikan's hands to his shoulders to help him to his feet. To which, he answered her kindness with a groan. He felt real weak right now.

"Starman?" she called, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine..." he answered, slight anger in his voice, "Just... let go, I'll be fine..."

She did as she was told, and released the grip she held on him. He stood tall then, while his chest heaved up and down for air. And, after a brief moment of solitude, he stepped out of the room. Millikan followed for a little bit, but his many hand gestures eventually sent her away. He wanted to be alone right now, as only one thing could bring solace to his mind. And that one thing lied just behind the great stone doors.

His feet brought him silently down the stone bridge, and to the great Emerald altar. He cared not for anything right now, for there was just little for him to care about. Farther, and farther forward, he moved, up the stairs as well. Until.

"I don't know why..." that voice made him stop, but ever so briefly.

With the deftness of a ninja, he scurried up the stairs. His footsteps remained silent, as to not stir she who he was sneaking on. His ruby eyes scanned the stone flooring, and specifically, the orange girl kneeling before the Master Emerald. Eyes closed, hands lying upon one another, tears streaming down her face. Why was she like this?

"Why does he make me feel this way?" she questioned, "I don't get it! I... I don't like it either!"

Her eyes finally opened, as she gazed into the rocks brilliant light.

"Why can't you answer me?" she inquired, "Why do you just stare at me, silently? Have I not be faithful to you and the gods? Why... why must you ignore me like this?" she started to sob, "What have I done to deserve this?"

Shadow crouched down, as his hand laid upon the side of the altar. Eyes closing, he tried to understand what Tikal was talking about. His ears suddenly twitched, when he heard the girl continue.

"Its like," she stated, "Every time I come near him. My heart flutters. He's different from everyone else. Different in ways I dislike. Fighting is wrong but... he makes me see it as right. He looks so evil, and acts so evil, but he... makes me feel so... so... so..."

She raised her hands, and slammed them on the ground, while she broke out in uncontrollable sobs.

"HE MAKES ME FEEL SO GOOD!" she screamed out.

She grew silent then, as her praying pose changed into a more saddened demeanor. Dragging her hands across her eyes, she cleaned the tears from her face, while at the same time sighing with displeasure. Her face grew into annoyance, as one of her eyes shot open to glare at the Emerald before her. Lips curling into a frown, she said,

"Nothing... I should've known..."

She stood up seconds later, and walked toward the stairs. Her footsteps were so silent, as she disappeared down the bridge, and into the city. Shadow didn't step out from his hiding spot until a few moments later. His ruby eyes seemed to scan everything the girl did, as she swayed out of the area with tears on his face. Now alone, he made the rest of the way up the stairs. But his mind was plagued with thoughts of Tikal. It doesn't take a mad scientist to know who she was talking about.

Hand laying on his chest, he wondered why she was feeling so oddly around her. But, to be honest, he felt the same thing. Ever since that trip into the cove, he's been feeling odd as well. He always chalked that up to her demeanor and the position he was set in, however.

That didn't explain the almost kiss, however.

Damn that almost kiss. He could still remember it. He could remember everything.

But enough about that. He had more pressing manners to deal with, right now. His ruby eyes scanned the Master Emerald before him. His face quickly changed into an angry expression, as he raised his powerful hand.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Zero. Nada. Nothing.

_NOTHING!_

He actually laid his hand on the massive jewel, while his face showed blatant rage. All of it was gone, there was no disputing that. The bands that lied on his wrist might as well have been lemon wedges, for they were now just useless jewelery.

Useless. Freaking. Useless.

If he thought he was stuck before, he was up a creek without a paddle now. He wasn't stuck anymore, he was trapped.

Trapped in the past.

…

His golden eyes stared at the glove before him. Surging with so much power, it was. He could feel, as if at any moment, he could destroy something purely by accident. Such power was not natural on the earth. This power was impossible.

"Have you accomplished your mission?" a demonic voice echoed from before.

"Not exactly," Finitevus responded, turning around, "I found something you might find interesting."

Once again, floating before him, was one singular, burning, red-eye. And it didn't look happy.

"Darnit Finitevus!" the voice roared, "Your mission was to get the Chaos Emeralds."

"And I will," he answered, "In due time."

"Stop messing around!" the voice roared.

"First," the albino echidna said, raising his hand, "Witness this..."

In the rocky field they stood in, he aimed the surging glove toward one random rock. Grinning like the madman he is, he fired a great yellow blast out at the very boulder. Once the yellow blast connected to it, the entire thing went up in a glorious explosion. Dust, dirt, and smoke, was thrown in every direction, the earth shook briefly. Once the sound of the explosion died out, so did the quaking and air. Everything grew silent.

"The black hedgehog is more powerful than you intended," Finitevus said, turning around, "But not anymore."

The eye's rage quickly dulled, as it started floating back.

"So, the problem has been dealt with?" it questioned.

"Yes it has." Finitevus responded, that stoic frown returning to his lips.

"Good..." the eye answered, "Then stop fooling around. Take the echidna tribe, and bring me the emeralds."

"I will... I will... _Doom_."

The eye turned skyward. Higher, and higher, it went, before it eventually disappeared in the skies. Finitevus smiled a most evil smile, as he felt his time was nigh. Turning around, he prepared to make his way to his masses.

Time. Time was on _his_ side.

* * *

_Trivia Time..._

_Oh yes, more trivia and stuff. Woo-hoo..._

_God... my tooth hurts._

_Any who, let's get down to some comics! I don't read the comics much, but I understand the universe. I'm a fan of the games, however, and I almost always follow the games universe. The only fanfic of Sonic I wrote that was in the comic's universe, was Casscadian Kings, but I digress. One thing I love about the comic's universe, is the characters. There's so many of them, I'm not going to get into detail. But when I want to use a comic character, I have to change them to fit the game's universe. Like Hope Kintobor. I used her in my Shadows of, series, as a main character. I had to change her to fit the games. In that, she's Hope Robotnik, Eggman's niece where in the comics, she still Eggman's niece, but blah blah blah, it get's confusing, I'm not going to explain it. Dr. Finitevus is the same way. In the comics he's... also pretty darn confusing, explaining it will make your head churn. Here, he's a Nocturnus tribe scientist, one who I say created the Gizoids. I tried to keep his echidna lore and mythology from the comics, while keeping him gamey like. If that makes any sense._

_Ya'know, now that I think about it, Finitevus is a terrible Dr. I can't say one thing he actually makes in the comics. All he does, is plague Knuckles, and try to make him Enerjak. He's more of a crazed priest than a mad scientist. Oh yeah, and Enerjak. I'll let your own mind rap around that. All you need to know, is that he's a demi god echidna's worship. The rest. Well, the rest will be explain._

_Later..._

_Autobots lead their battle to destroy the evil forces of, the Decepticons._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	11. A New Venture

A New Venture

Chao Ruins. Funny. A long time ago, the small blue creatures were once respected as angelic deities. But now, they are seen as nothing but tameable pets. The ruins were constructed years ago, by the tribe's ancestors. Now, however, they just sit there, mere shadows of their former selves.

But the orange echidna who stood among their statues cared not. She wanted to be alone. Be alone, separated, from Pachacamac, separated from the Master Emerald, separated from Chaos 0, separated from her people, and, most importantly, separated from that demon known as Shadow.

Its funny what people do when they are alone, too. For right now, Tikal was exhibiting emotions she would never show to anyone. Ever.

She turned to one of the many ruins. The image of a smiling Chao lied upon it. It angered her. With a mighty punch, she struck the hard formation. It shattered from her punch, and broke into many brittle pieces. But that wasn't enough. Blue eyes moving elsewhere, she struck yet another object, this time a column. It crumbled under her fist, and fell backwards, breaking as it collapsed into the ground. Was that enough? Of course not. Raising her fist yet again, she slammed the ground, causing visible cracks to appear all around.

And still, she wasn't happy. She could destroy everything in this area, and it wouldn't help her. None of it would. She would still be unhappy, still be broken, still be incomplete.

Why?

Just one simple question, and absolutely zero answers. She wanted to cry, but she was tired of crying. She was tired of running. She had to face this problem. But she couldn't. She just couldn't. She felt like her heart wanted to tear from her chest, and burst forward. But she kept it in right. For now, anyway. She wished she could keep her anger correct, but it just wasn't acting with her. In fact, nothing was acting with her. It was like she was fighting a war with herself, a war she was loosing horribly.

"Get out of my head!" she yelled, gripping her head, "Just, get out!"

Her wild rambles made her seem insane, of course. Or, if someone else was here, they would just say her womanly emotions were messing with her. Which, honestly, may have been true, honestly. She's never loved before, she doesn't know what it means to feel these feelings. No one does the first time.

No one.

So why couldn't she realize this? She felt like she was being corrupted, corrupted by this demon who fell from the stars. A demon who lost that which gave him strength. A demon who lost his way home.

She found the need to talk to him.

…

He focused. He focused so hard. He focused his damned hardest.

And nothing. Nothing came back to him.

With a venomous growl, he shook his head clear of these thoughts. Even when surrounded by all seven Chaos Emeralds, he felt nothing. Not a damned thing. But why should he? The rest of his energies were taken from him by that albino bastard.

Honestly, he didn't know how to feel. Even without his connection to the Chaos Force, he's still a highly trained, highly intelligent being. But all that means very little, when physical prowess and intelligence has no bearings on his predicament. It's not like he could punch a hole through the universe and go straight back to the future. Which, truth be told, reminds him a very terrible comic book plot, but now I digress.

His powers weren't completely gone, however. He knew that, somewhere, in this historic world, lied his Chaos Powers. Just lying in some god forsaken contraption, being used, most likely, for some nefarious plans. If this continues, then the future is a dead land. There would be no need to return to it, for the land would probably be ruled by a species of highly advanced echidnas, using Gizoids as a secret police. But now, his mind was just playing with him. There were an infinite number of events that could occur, thanks to his being in the past, that future just one of them. He needed to stop this, but how? There was only one person with the answers he sought. One person who knew more the Nocturnus Tribe than he did. One person he could talk too.

"Tikal..." he whispered.

…

She leaned up against the wall, blue eyes closed shut, arms crossed over one another. Her heart was pumping against her chest, over and over again. She wouldn't walk to him, he would come to her. That's the only way this would work. If she walked up to him, then there would be no chances of her retaining that strength. But, if he came to her, things would be just a little bit better. That's how she felt, anyway. She wasn't sure if this was true, but he was coming, she could feel him. Getting closer, and closer.

The stone doors opened slowly.

Her eyes grew tightly shut, as his footsteps moved alongside the stone ground. Closer, and closer, she heard him get, before those feet stopped.

"We have to stop meeting like this..." he whispered.

Tikal finally opened her eyes. They trekked along the ground first, before meeting his cold-hearted frame. He looked just as he usually did. That stoic and indifferent demeanor, that held that satanic visage. How it terrified her. How it tantalized her. How in brought her closer.

"Thank you..." he suddenly said, ruby eyes closing, "Millikan told me that you brought me back... Thank you..."

She wasn't sure if she heard those words at first. But after they cemented themselves in her mind, she felt her heart flutter once again.

Why?

"Tikal... we need to talk..."

His footsteps grew ever nearer, and she felt the need to run. But he wouldn't let her this time. His powerful hand grasped onto her arm.

She yelped at the sudden touch, as her blue eyes locked onto his ruby ones. Gone was that thankful attitude, here was this serious one. He wasn't going to let her leave, no matter how uncomfortable this conversation got. Now matter how uncomfortable _she_ got.

"Are you listening to me?" he questioned.

She gave no answers, verbal or otherwise. She just continued to stare. The lack of a reply made the hedgehog sigh with indifference, while he gripped the bridge of his nose.

"You... you're thinking about what happened earlier, aren't you?"

She nodded. Once again, he sighed, but his eyes grew sharper.

"It was nothing, Tikal," he said it so easily, like it was normal, "Nothing was going to happen."

She felt her eyes grow half close. Yeah, _nothing_ was going to happen. Did _she_ believe that? Of course not. She knew something more was going to happen. She just knew it. But he said otherwise. That's all she needed. Just to calm herself down.

Even if she didn't believe it.

"Yeah... Nothing..." she whispered.

He nodded solemnly, while a sigh of relief escaped his lips.

"Tikal," he said, releasing her to cross his arms, "I need your help with something."

She nodded.

"Where is the Nocturnus Tribe?"

"The Nocturnus Tribe," she answered, her voice a whisper, "Why does it matter to you?"

His face grew into a scowl, as he held back blatant rage.

"Let's just say... they've stolen something from me."

She knew what he had taken from him, but she remained silent. This would be perfect. A chance to better understand these feelings she has toward him. If there are any feelings at all. And, if she's lucky, she'll find if he has any feelings toward her.

Peering into his ruby eyes said otherwise, however.

"I need to know, Tikal," he said, springing her from her trance, "Finding them is the only way I'll be able to make my way back home."

"Shadow, do you know who the Nocturnus Tribe is?" she inquired, "They are an evil group of echidnas. They, turn away from their gods and values, and instead look on to their machines and technology. They tend to treat us Knuckles Tribesmen like we're beneath them. But we aren't." she looked up to him, "So why, why do you want to go to them?"

"Like I said," he said, growing angry, "They have something that belongs to me."

"But Shadow... they're dangerous..." she warned.

"Not to me..." he retorted.

"But..."

"Listen Tikal... I'm going to be gone for a while. Tell me where the Nocturnus Tribe is... and I'll be out of your hair."

She grew frail again, as her blue eyes gazed at the space between their feet. After getting the strength to look up, she pointed at the stone doors behind him.

"The river that moves under the bridge," she said, "If we take that. We'll be able to make it to the Nocturnus Tribe by night fall of tomorrow."

He nodded stoically, before his mind caught hold of one specific part of Tikal's words.

"We?" he questioned.

"Yes, we, I'm going with you." she answered.

"No," he said, "This is for me, and me alone. You don't have to come."

"Shadow, I've said it before, I'll say it again, I'm your caretaker, I have to go!"

Shadow's eyesight intensified.

"Not anymore, you're not. Just get a raft ready for me. I'll be on my way by sunset."

Though her mouth opened to give a retort, he wasn't having any of it. He cut her off by waving his hand, and made his way back toward the Master Emerald Altar, leaving Tikal alone.

And angry.

She felt her fists tightened, as her glare on the stone doors intensified. Where did he get off bossing her around like that? Did he not know _he_ was vulnerable? Looking at him, one would tell he was just as strong as always. But she knew better. Not only did her dream show his powers being stripped from him, but also she could feel an incredible lack of Chaos Energy within him. He was just as weak as she was.

And yet, he still retained the tenacity to go on this quest alone? Not with her here. She turned around and made her way into the city. Along the way, she ran into Millikan. Though the fox tried to make casual conversation, the orange echidna was obviously not having it. Tapping the fox on the head, she gave one order.

"Get me a raft."

"What? Where? Why?"

"Just put it under the bridge, Millikan!"

…

She fiddled with her items. There was a lot of them, all hung up by the quiver on her back. An axe, a bow and arrows, along with the map of the recent land. Most of these items felt disastrous in her hands, and she wanted to have no part of them. But using them is better than ending up dead. Besides, she had no intentions of using them. Surely, her _partner_ would.

Surely, the hunters of her tribe will be unhappy that she 'borrowed' a few of their equipment, but she didn't care. Attacking the Nocturnus Tribe. That's insane. If she didn't come with him, he'll end up dead. There's no disputing that. So she had no choice. Even if it went against her own better judgment. Even if...

Her blue eyes peered below the stone bridge. The hedgehog had spent almost all of his day sitting near the Master Emerald, ignore all outside forces. He was just awaiting her call, the order saying the time for departure was nearing.

"Shadow..."

The black and red hedgehog straighten up. Turning around, he faced the orange echidna that stood at the base of the altar. At first he nodded, though that diminished the moment he saw the items on her back. It made him angry.

"I thought I told you to stay?" he said, standing up.

"I'm not going to sit idly by while you go and kill yourself, Shadow."

"Why does it matter?" he answered, "This is my fight, don't you realize that?"

"Not really," she said, patting down her skirt, "Shadow... maybe you don't realize it but... you're apart of the Knuckles Tribe here."

Her remark made him shrug in confusion.

"What?"

"You," she said, pointing at the frame standing above her, "Look at yourself. Your clothing, the gauntlets on your hands, the abilities you now hold," she grimaced, "The band around your left hand... Shadow the hedgehog... It may be unofficial but, you're one of us... can't you see? And we Knuckles, we never leave one another."

As his eyes closed, she thought her words had some bearings on his mind. He seemed to accept it. Those eyes closed usually showed he was thinking hard on something. So he had to believe her, he just had too. She thought wrong.

"You're foolish," he answered, eyes squinting, "Tikal, I fell from the sky, and came from the future. I'm just a really powerful hedgehog, that's had a really bad day. You can poke and prod it all you want, call me want you want, but at the end of it all, I'm just something you don't understand." he stepped forward, "Now go back home, and let me deal with these problems myself."

"You're such an arrogant jerk!" she barked out, finding this rage, "Can't you see what you're doing to me!? I'm trying to help you here, even if you are this angry, rude, aloof, monster! Cause that's what you are, a monster! Only monsters specialize in fighting the way you do! And you think, that this is all your problem! Well listen here, Starman, since your arrival, I've been attacked more times than I ever imagined, so we're in this!" she grew quiet, oddly, "Were in this... together..."

She closed her eyes. Deep down inside, she never knew she could get this angry. It surprised even herself. Once her eyes finally opened, she was astonished to meet Shadow's crimson eyes, directly in front of her. How he had gotten up to her so quickly, without her noticing, was a feat in itself, the effect was all the same, however. She wasn't moving, and he wasn't moving. They just stared at each other.

"If I'm a monster," he whispered, "Why do you want to help me."

She swallowed her spit, unsure of how to answer his question. The act made him nod.

"I see, I see..." he said after, as if she had said something, "Okay then..."

His feet started moving then, and he made his way toward the river at the base of the bridge. Pointing toward it he called out to Tikal, saying,

"Millikan came by earlier, and placed that raft here. I recommend we leave now..."

"We?" the orange furred echidna said, looking at him, "Did you say we?"

He didn't acknowledge her words, as his eyes were already set forward. Eventually, Tikal found the strength to follow him. Deep inside, she wanted to ask why he changed so quickly, but she knew it would be better if she remained silent. For now, anyway.

She scurried to his side quickly, and her eyes scanned his moving frame. He appeared to be very deep in thought, as very little seemed to get in his way. Reaching the raft, he laid his hands on the side. It was stable, even as it remained tethered to land by a powerful rope. Giving a nod, the hedgehog struck the rope with his hand, snapping it in half. As the raft slid down the beach side, Shadow held it up. His head cocked to the side briefly, telling Tikal to get on. She did so just as soon as his head stopped moving, for she didn't want to make him unhappy.

Though the raft was small, it would comfortable hold the both of them, as well as the items she brought. This was, unfortunately, to the orange echidna's horror. She would be forced to sit up close to the hedgehog. Why did Millikan choose such a small thing. Obviously, she did this on purpose. Or the universe did this on purpose. Both seemed like very plausible answers.

And yet. To her hated confusion. She couldn't help but to feel _enticed_ by this. She got to be close to Shadow.

"Are you okay?" he suddenly questioned as the raft neared the river's edge, "You were... twitching..."

"Me?" she responded, "No, I just... can't believe we're doing this..."

The hedgehog's eyes grew into a squint, as his demeanor became more forceful.

"There's no going back now," he stated, "You didn't just go through that speech to turn back. I won't let you..."

She closed her eyes, while her head moved elsewhere.

Yes. It was time to go. There was no turning back now. This would just be their secret mission. No one had to know, save for them.

There was no way this could blow up in their face.

No.

Way.

The small boat continued to slide forward. It wobbled a bit as it reached the water, but quickly stabilized itself. Now on the calm streams, it started to move down the blue waves. Tikal grabbed her heart, as she felt it bounce within her. She felt her body being joined by another.

Glancing back, she saw the black hedgehog that fell from the stars. He appeared to be deep in thought, as his eyes were closed, and arms were crossed. She wished she was more like him. Able to be just as stoic as he was. Keep those emotions of his under control. But that wasn't the point right now.

With lively vigor, she gazed forward. The Nocturnus Tribe would surely try to destroy them, but she didn't care.

To help a fellow Knuckles Tribesmen. That's what this was. Helping out, a friend.

Helping out. A lover.

No wait, that wasn't her thoughts, was it? She would ignore them, yes. Though deep down inside, she believed otherwise.

* * *

_Trivia Time!_

_This chapter won't have much trivia, simply for the fact that it is, to me at least, sort of a transition chapter. What does that mean? Well, as I explain it, it's a chapter with not much information, but more of a plot booster. That's why there isn't much insight on Tikal or Shadow's mind. I'm trying to get things moving. Don't worry, the next chapter will have all you could ever want, I just need to get there._

_Now, some stuff. Earlier in the Chapter, Shadow's thinking about ways to return to the future. One of them, is punching the universe. Now, that may sound just plain crazy, but its actually a plot point in something else. DC universe has, on many occasions, a big crossover event, just like all comic companies. The one mentioned in this chapter, was Crisis on Infinite Earths. Or it may have been Infinite Crisis. They sound so alike I get them confused. Anyway, in this event, there was a character named Superboy-Prime. Superboy-Prime was an alternate dimension Superman, who came from our world. At the end of this crossover event, he went to heaven (sorta) with Golden Age Superman, Golden Age Lois Lane, and Earth-3 Lex Luthor's son. Years of being in not-Heaven made Superboy-Prime go kinda loco He wanted to return home, so he punched the universe. Like, seriously, he punched the universe over and over again. This made crazy changes to the DC universe at the time. The one everyone remembers, is that it brought back Jason Todd, that is the second Robin._

_Well, that's enough for today. I told you some DC lore as opposed to the usual Sonic lore. Hmm... maybe I should make a crossover in the future._

_*Insert Evil Smiley Face*_

_Live but do not die. Fight but do not start a war. Eat, but do not become obese._

_-Great Words of Katt Prime_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	12. Starlight

Starlight

The gentle swooshing of the river waves jolted the orange echidna from her sleep.

She stretched out her arms, yawned a bit, and gazed forward. Her eyesight was still blurred, so she rubbed those blue orbs of hers. After they readjusted themselves, she gave a loud groan, just so she could hear herself make a noise. Tongue snaking out, she liked her lips, while her eyes closed once more.

It took her a while to remember what she was doing. Riding down this long river toward the tribe that would love to see her dead. Oh yeah, that's it. And the person she has to blame for this, was right behind her.

Arms, wrapped around her waist.

She turned slowly to the hedgehog behind her. He looked calm and composed, with those red eyes of his closed, for anyone could see he was asleep right now. Just like all the times before, he looked so cute sleeping. But that didn't excuse the fact that he was holding her close. Her back lay against his chest, while his head lay atop hers. Even though she was currently moving, he didn't stir in the least bit. His slumber, unhindered by all who bothered it.

She wanted to shake him off. Jolt him, from that sleep, and scold him for what he was doing. But she didn't. She enjoyed his touch, right now. His arms around her stomach, keeping her warm against the chilled night. Sure, he may have done so purely out of his slumber, and wouldn't do such a thing if he were awake, but she didn't mind.

Unconsciously, she found her hand moving up, and touching the side of his head. She moved slightly to the side, so that he now leaned against her shoulder.

She found herself smiling to the touch. His soft muzzle, resting against her bare shoulder. It sent tingles up her spine, but not fearful or cold ones. No, these were warm, and made her sigh with pleasure. As her eyes closed, so she could focus on this feeling, she realized everything else ceased to matter. Her tribe, the Nocturnus Tribe, the Master Emerald, the current boat ride, even his home. No, all that mattered was this moment, this calm, simple moment. She was really happy.

Happy.

But of course, no moment is forever. Her cerulean eyes opened, so she could gaze to the sky. Tinkling upon her, like diamonds in the sky, were those stars. They gave the dark night life, along with the great silver moon, which did its part as well. The river had taken them down a great valley, as the sides around them were hidden within great, rocky, cliff sides. Those cliffs greatly dwarfed the two, and their ever so small raft. But she didn't mind. It made her smile. To be little like this, to not hold such a great burden on ones back. To not protect the Master Emerald, or be that shining example of Anglicism that she was.

Everyone wants to be extraordinary, except for those who are extraordinary.

He finally began moving. That black hedgehog did. His face quickly contorted into a grimace, as his ruby eyes moved open. She turned to him, as his touch slowly moved away. He lifted his head first, followed by those arms that held he close. As his face grew scrunched, he bit the bottom of his lip. A low growl exited those lips a moment later, and his crimson eyes soon opened.

"Tikal..." he whispered, gazing at her.

She looked back at him with those blue eyes of hers, before a smile came to her lips.

"Starman..." she answered.

He nodded, as he usually did, before glancing off skyward. For some reason, she did too, just to match his motion.

"How much longer?" he suddenly questioned, arms crossing over one another.

"I... don't really know," she answered, earnestly, "I haven't been down this river since I was a little girl."

He nodded to her answer, while his eyes closed once more.

That stoic demeanor of his back, Tikal once again felt that cold notion run through her. Turning away, she found it best to take her mind off of things. So, searching through the things she brought with her, she withdrew the map of the area. It was a great map, showing the entire island on which they lived on. Her finger trekked alongside the marking of the river on the map, starting first at Cielo Isla. Then, it moved down, and down, and down. Her finger met the area where they were at currently, or, from what she figured they were at. Sometimes, this place got so big, even she was confused.

But it was hard to forget the area they were heading. Chrome Gadget Zone. Or, more importantly, the Nocturnus Tribe. A interesting place, it is. It greatly dwarfs Cielo Isla when it comes to its technological prowess. However, that's a story for another day. A story Tikal wanted to have no part of.

"So... what happened to your mother?" a whisper traveled over.

She glanced back to the hedgehog behind her. He said nothing, though he glared at her with those crimson eyes.

"What?" she answered, unsure if she actually heard that.

"I said, what happened to your mother?"

"Is... this your idea of small talk?" she questioned, causing the hedgehog's eyes to intensify.

"I don't make small talk," he stated, "I only need information. What happened to your mother?"

The orange furred echidna glanced away, as she sighed with dull indifference. Looking back up to the stars, she wondered if her mother was looking down upon her in the same way. Spirituality, it connected her to the heavens.

"I'm not really sure," Tikal stated, "It's a story not told often."

"Why is that?" the hedgehog inquired, prodding deeper into things.

"Well... its said because the story shows a weakness in our people. But I know better. People don't tell it often, because my father made it illegal to speak of that day."

"He did?" Shadow asked, earnestly surprised.

"Yeah," she answered with a nod, "He doesn't like it when people talk about my mother, or the day in which she died. If you do, you're looking for a direct trip to the dungeon."

"Your father must have really loved your mother."

"So I believe..." she stated, face growing with disdain, "I never met her... so I wouldn't know..."

"Well, someone must have told you about your mother... who did?"

"My grandmother, of course." Tikal once again looked at him, "My grandmother couldn't stand the rule about that day. She felt it dishonored my mother's spirit to _not_ talk about her death. You see, my grandmother was a shaman. It was her job to keep us connected to the dead. But my father couldn't stand the thought about my mother _being_ dead. He tried to make everyone forget that day, but that's just the thing. You see, to forget about someone, makes it seem like they never existed. And my grandmother hated that. The spirits hate that. She was sure my mother couldn't stand it if she was forgotten, for how could anyone remember what she did, if they don't even know she existed?"

Shadow's face contorted into one in inquisition. Pursing his lips, he asked of her,

"What _did_ your mother do?"

…

Akna pulled herself up. The silver furred echidna clenched tightly her heart, as the blue bands around her wrist shimmered greatly.

She didn't want this. Not for her. Not for her own daughter. She could already sense the energy flowing off the child before her, and it terrified her.

"Akna..." his heavy voice called from behind.

She turned to face him, the light blue eyes she owned gazing at the maroon furred echidna behind her. He said nothing, as he walked up with that stern body of his. He got so close to her, and she felt his warm body resonating near hers. Biting the bottom of her lip, she hugged the man before her, digging her face into his chest. He must have already known what she was going through, for his heavy hand reached her quills, brushing it slowly.

"Don't worry, Akna," he whispered, "Tikal will be a strong girl. This... will only make her stronger..."

"I don't want this for her, Pachacamac," the silver furred echidna answered, pulling back, "I don't want her to have what I have."

"Why is that, Akna?" he questioned, his hugging growing softer, "Do you not what her to be strong?"

"She'll hold a burden on her, forever, Pachacamac," she answered, face digging deeper into his chest, "A burden I don't want of her... A burden that-"

She suddenly froze up. As Pachacamac stepped back, her blue eyes started shining. From her lips, various incantations and spells, all of which pushed her forward. Gripping her husband's shoulder she pushed him aside, so she could exit their home.

The silver furred echidnas feet brought her farther and father away. Each echidna that she crossed on the city streets, stopped immediately at the sight of her. The Master Emerald Protector, Akna. A strong woman, her power easily dwarfed those of a, supposed, higher class. And what was funny about her, was that she had just had a child only a month or two ago. But that doesn't matter. Her powerful legs brought her through the stone doors, which moved open without a touch. Down that bridge, that hung over the river, and to the white stone that held the Master Emerald.

She stood before the great green rock, as her shining white eyes continued to glow. But for what reason.

"I was waiting for you..."

She snapped out of her mystical trance, and gazed down to the many ponds that surrounded the Master Emerald. The Chao around them quickly flew away, as screams echoed about. One remained for a little while, a shining blue one with green eyes. It glanced up to Akna, and she dismissed it with a wave of her hand. Nodding the Chao left, following his brothers and sisters.

The silver furred echidna leaped off of the Master Emerald altar, as her feet brought her closer to the voice.

"Akna, Akna, Akna, Guardian of the Master Emerald."

She grimaced, as her fists raised up.

"Finitevus." she answered, voice seething with rage.

He appeared shortly after, body within a purple cloak. She couldn't see his face at first, though she was sure he was smiling. Gripping the side of his cloak, he moved it to the side, revealing his body. A red echidna, he looked vastly different from how he would appear, in the future. His purple eyes moved up to the Emeralds on the columns, causing him to snicker dementedly. That snicker melted away into a scowl however, as he trekked his violet orbs back to her.

"For a while, you've been the bane of my existence, Akna," he seethed, "So, to save you a most humiliating defeat, I recommend you come forth, easily."

She shook her head, as her stance became more battle oriented.

"Leave Finitevus!" she barked, "Go now, and I promise I won't destroy your body!"

"You fail to realize, Akna, I have the upper hand here."

"What hand?" she countered, "One of those busted... Gizoid things!? They can barely stand on their two feet, let alone face me!"

"Ah, but not this one! I spent hours scanning these Chaos Emeralds, learning about them, Akna. I know every little detail, every little ounce of their being. And I created, this!"

He stepped aside, revealing an orange, humanoid, machine behind him. The being glanced up, his blue eyes shining dimly, as its feet brought it closer and closer up. The fists it owned opened and closed threateningly, as its gaze aimed forward. Though it looked like one of those grunt warriors from before, Akna knew better than to underestimate her foes. So she didn't. She instead, hunched down even further, as she blocked her body.

"Fine then," she stated, "Attack the Master Emerald again. This will only go down just like the last times."

"Oh we shall see..." he answered evilly, "Destroy her, Gizoid."

The robot nodded. Slowly, it too hunched down, whilst raising its fists, copying the exact movements of Akna. She raised her face and squinted at the movement, but took her attack pose once again.

Then it attacked. In a quick movement, it appeared in her face, fist in the air. It struck down, but the Master Emerald guardian blocked it quickly. She quickly countered with her own punch, one that struck it in the chest. A punch from an echidna is powerful, a punch from the Master Emerald guardian is down right devastating. And that Gizoid felt it.

The hit threw it back, slamming it into the side of one of the Emerald Columns. Akna raised her body, as she gazed at her orange foe. The robot struggled quickly to its toes, as it was surely feeling the pain of being hit by the powerful woman.

"Is this done yet, or do I have to dismantle yet another one of your pieces?"

"Not yet, Akna." Finitevus answered.

The Gizoid glanced up. Once again, it disappeared in a quick flash, only to appear before the woman. It struck with a punch, once more, causing her to deflect the attack, once more. This time, however, she threw it to the ground, making the battling robot bounce along the ground. The machine tried to scurry away, but Akna grabbed it by the leg. Holding it in place, she started to furiously pound it in the chest, over and over again. She growled as she did so, before lifting it up high. With a mighty throw, she tossed it into one of the Emerald Columns, causing it to bounce off.

The Gizoid fell back onto the earth, as its body emitted robotic noises. Struggling to its feet once more, it glanced around the field for its foe. He found none. Akna had seemingly disappeared.

_Seemingly_.

The earth beneath it suddenly exploded. Akna thus appeared, arm wrapped tightly around its mechanical waist. She raised it high, got into a kneeling position, then dropped it on its spine. At the same time, a lightning bolt struck it, causing the ground to quake violently. The Gizoid fell onto the earth then, and remained silent, its blue eyes going off.

The Master Emerald Guardian stood tall, as her hands found her hips. Gazing back at the red echidna that attacked her, she squinted.

"That was pathetic, Finitevus," she barked, "And because of it, I have to kill you."

"Oh really? Gizoid, crush her."

She cocked her head at the order, before her body was lifted up high. Glancing down, she saw the orange Gizoid glaring back. It raised her higher, and higher, before slamming her spine first, on its knee. At the same time, a lightning bolt struck her, slamming her violently into the earth.

She groaned and roared with pain, as the Gizoid stood tall above her. Looking up, she wondered how the machine copied the same tactic of hers. She scurried to her feet quickly, and lay her head on the back. In the background, she heard Finitevus laughing and laughing.

"You see, Akna!?" she yelled, "This is it."

"Shut up, Finitevus!" she yelled, getting to her feet.

"Kill her Gizoid! Kill her!"

The machine glanced downward, and started digging into the earth. She heard its digs grow closer and closer, and in order to dodge it, she leaped up. Her quills kept her afloat, as her blue eyes followed the robot.

The earth suddenly exploded, and leaping up, was that same Gizoid. In midair, it struck at her, but with a kick. She dodged the attack, and countered with an elbow, sending it to the earth. It crashed into the earth, but quickly got to its feet. Akna landed on the Emerald Altar, as she gripped her heart. For some reason, she found herself getting tired quickly. Odd.

"I've had enough of this," Finitevus stated, crossing his arms, "Listen here, Akna. Come with me, and become Enerjak, or else!"

"Enerjak doesn't exist, Finitevus!" she yelled, "Stop trying to take me!"

"Fine then, be that way. Gizoid, Emeralds, now!"

The machine nodded.

Crouching down, it leaped up, and sprung into the air. The Seven Chaos Emeralds that surrounded the Master Emerald started to leave their columns. Akna grew confused, as she had never seen this act before. What were they doing.

The Gozoid's eyes started to glow brighter and brighter. Its body convulsed violently, as sparks exited it. Stronger, and stronger, it got, reaching the level of pure strength when.

…

"Ultimate..." the hedgehog whispered, ruby eyes closing.

"What was that?" Tikal questioned, her story telling coming to an end.

"Ultimate... Ultimate... Emerl..." he whispered.

There were parts of her story that were still fuzzy, even to her, but the hedgehog could make out that much. Only Emerl could harness the Chaos Emeralds in that way. Funny. He never expected the Gizoid to be this old.

"Uh... who's Emerl?" the girl questioned, gripping her dreads.

"Nothing," the hedgehog commented, uncrossing his arms, "Continue."

…

The Gizoid landed to the earth. Its movements had become more jumpy, more erratic. It constantly hopped from toe to toe, wishing for the battle to begin. Akna, not knowing how to feel, merely lifted her fists.

"It's over, Akna!" Finitevus roared, "I tried to get you to come, but you never did."

"You can bring over as many Gizoids as you wish, Finitevus!" she yelled back, "But it won't mean a thing! I won't lose!"

"We shall see! Kill her, Gizoid!"

It nodded.

If Akna thought it was fast before, then the earlier speed was nothing compared to now. In a jolt, it appeared before her. Unlike last time though, it didn't throw punch or make a movement. It just stood there, glaring forward. She struck forward, a heavy but quick punch. The Gizoid grabbed it. Head cocking forward, it glared at her. Suddenly, it pulled back its fist, and punched her square in the face.

An explosion rang out, and once the dust settled, Akna found herself on the ground. Her face was peppered with dust and debris, along with blood. _Her_ blood. Gripping her nose, she groaned in pain, as her body shook. Once her eyes opened, she saw the Gizoid readying another attack. As it dropped its foot, she quickly rolled out the way. The machine's strike caused the earth to crumble, and a great crater appeared.

Akna quickly returned to her feet, those blue orbs of her's glaring forward. The Gizoid turned to her, before straightening up its pose. Akna raised her fists, as her gaze intensified. The Gizoid disappeared. It was moving fast, way to fast to humanly see. Had she been normal, then she wouldn't know what to do. But she was far from normal. She felt the airways bend and tear, as the Gizoid got closer and closer. Her left hand rose up. She blocked a sudden attack. The Gizoid looked at her. She struck back.

Her powerful fist sent it careening into the side of the Emerald Altar, causing a visible crack to form. As it tried to get back to its feet, Akna gripped it again. Raising the machine high, she slammed it into the earth, causing rocks to fly skyward. Her fist raised high, and a thunder bolt struck it. Giving a maddening cry, she slammed the lightning bolted fist upon the Gizoid's face.

The entire area exploded. Dust this way, smoke that way, debris everywhere. Once everything settled, the earth was a rocky stubble. The Emerald Altar was still very well protected, however.

In the middle of this now dusty field, was Akna. She breathed in heavily, while her eyes darted left and right.

"Where are you!?" she roared, feral like, "Show yourself!"

It listened.

Directly above her, the Gizoid appeared. Its body fell atop hers, slamming her into the earth. She crashed down into it, face first, and put up little resistance. Hand raising up, the Gizoid caused its hand to be struck by lightning. Then, copying a movement belonging to her, it slammed it into her body.

Once more, there was an explosion, but this one had a different outcome. By the time the smoke settled, Akna was standing. Her fists were being held in place by the Gizoid, while she held it in place at the same time. All around them, lighting bolts fell, as a storm grew overhead. The sky constantly shook with violence, as rain fell from those depressing grey clouds. Suddenly, one lightning bolt, not caused by the two combatants, fell between them. They were thrown back by the strike, one over there, the other over there.

Akna landed on her feet, though the actions of battle had clearly taken a toll on her body. The injuries on her body were visibly bad. But that's not what had her so tense.

She coughed. A violent and powerful cough, one that made her clench her mouth. Upon pulling back, she saw she had a patch of red on her glove.

Blood.

"Just give in, Akna," Finitevus roared, battling the wind and rain with his arm, "This has gone on for too long!"

"Yes!" she answered, "Yes it has!"

Akna turned to face the Gizoid. It was getting closer. She could feel the power of Chaos resonate off of its body. And she knew of only one way to get rid of it. The prayer her mother told.

"The servers are the seven Chaos," she stated, and loudly as well, "Chaos is power, power enriched by the heart!" she could hear Finitevus yell out 'NO!' in the background, but she didn't care, "The heart is the controller! The controller serves to unify the chaos!" she pulled back. Her blue eyes were now shining violently, as her body started to shine, "CHAOS CONTROL!"

The Master Emerald began to shine. Brighter, and brighter, it grew, becoming a green star on the earth. The Gizoid glared up to the Master Emerald. It started floating, higher, and higher. And soon, so did the Gizoid. It started floating higher and higher. Suddenly, the Master Emerald fired out a lightning bolt of its own. This green strike collided with the Gizoid, launching it into the earth. The orange machine shook and quaked, as its body was being bombarded with powers it couldn't hope to understand. It could feel the power of Chaos leave it, for the Chaos Emeralds were leaving its body.

And then it was over.

The Master Emerald fell, landing right on its Altar, perfectly still. The Gizoid stopped moving, as its body was left smoldering from the attack. First, it fell to its knees, then its hands, and finally, its body entirely.

"No!" Finitevus roared, "What did you do!?"

Akna's eyes shot to him. She stood tall, body shining, while her eyes were green with power. Closer and closer, she got, making the mad doctor lock up. His feet brought him away, but he couldn't leave like he wished. Akna waved her hand, and brought him close to her, via some invisible force. He shook constantly, but there was no escaping this woman's rage.

"You... became one with the Master Emerald."

"The heart is the controller," she answered, reciting part of her prayer, "The controller serves to unify Chaos." she pointed at his chest, causing a searing burning pain to enter him, "You are chaotic enough, Finitevus... I must eliminate you..."

"You... wouldn't dare!"

She grabbed his shoulders, and held him in place.

"Goodbye brother..." she whispered.

The sky started to quake again. Finitevus glared up. The storm clouds began to circle them, growing into a tempest. As the lightning grew and grew, Finitevus started to get angry. He yelled, and hurled insults at his sister, but it was too late.

One, powerful, lightning bolt fell upon the two. The land exploded, sending light everywhere.

Silence...

…

Tikal could've sworn she felt a tear course down her side. She was looking away though, so Shadow couldn't see it. For some reason, that made her feel better.

"What happened?" he inquired.

"I don' know," she answered, "My mother protected the Master Emerald, as usual but... she grew deathly sick afterward. Her condition grew worse and worse, with each passing day." Tikal took in a deep breath, and released it, "She died when I turned one..." Finally, she gained the strength to look at Shadow. His crimson eyes were softer now, filled with pity, "Its believed that the fight of that day caused her condition to worsen. But... no ones really sure..."

"I'm sorry..." he said, eyes closing, "I shouldn't have asked..."

"Its okay," she answered, "I understand the need to know..." gripping her dreads, she suddenly smiled, "So... who's Maria?"

Her sudden question made Shadow grow defensive. His eyes glared at her, causing her to wilt in despair. Feeling the topic was touchy, she glanced away.

"She was... a friend..." she heard him say.

Still fearful of his eyes, she continued looking forward, toward the waves.

"A... good friend..." he continued, "From a long time ago..."

"Did she die..."

"Yes..." he whispered, "Killed by people we thought we could trust... Betrayed..."

"Why?"

"Because of me..." he whispered, "It was all my fault... they wanted to stop me... You see, from where I come from, I'm commonly feared. Feared by the populace. They see me as to strong... like some kind of... _demon_. That's why Maria was killed. She was killed trying to save me."

His lips closed shut then. That was all he was saying, Tikal knew that. And so, her eyes closed. This silenced oozed between them for a while, before Tikal said something.

"My grandmother often said... no one sacrifices themselves, without a reason. If your friend, Maria, died for you, then... it was for the betterment of all, not just you. Sometimes, I try to understand it but... I guess I do with you. If you died... I'm not sure what would have happened that day, when those marauders attacked. If Chaos couldn't stop them then... then they would have taken the Emerald from us... I guess... I thank, Maria..." and finally, she gained the strength to look at him, "And... I thank you, Shadow the hedgehog..."

"Don't thank me yet," he replied, erroneously enough, "Look forward."

She obeyed his order, and glanced forward. Before them, river rapids. They moved left, they moved right, and sharp jagged rocks shot up everywhere. Tikal, of course, began to fret, as her blue eyes beamed holes into the map before her.

"What!?" she yelled, "These aren't supposed to be here!"

"Calm down Tikal, this can't be too hard."

"What do you mean!?" she yelled, looking forward, "They'll tear this boat apart! And I can't carry all of our things and escape!"

"Just... when I say jump, jump..."

She looked back to him. Despite the dangerous twists and turns, the hedgehog stood tall. His crimson eyes looking down, he glared at the items she brought. He took the bow and arrows Tikal brought, and started to fiddle with them. Time had cut short, unfortunately, and the raft entered the rapids.

They were thrown left, as the rushing water increased in speed. Tikal let out a scream, and glanced up at Shadow. As usual, he appeared stoic, just as he wrapped a piece of rope around an arrow.

"Keep the boat stable..." he ordered.

"What!?" Tikal countered.

His finger pointed forward, and she glanced forward. The boat began to move left and right violently, casing Tikal to groan. Latching her hands on the sides, she tried to keep the raft stable. The boat started to turn to the right, but with a mighty push, Tikal kept it level. As it started to tip to the side, she once again pushed, keeping it stable. A look back at Shadow showed him at ready with his bow, while his crimson eyes moved to and fro. After a minute or two, he glanced back down to her.

"Just a little further..." he warned.

She nodded, and looked forward herself. The rivers were increasing in speed, jerking their little raft to the side violently. She aimed her eyes up, and saw they were heading right for a rock. If they hit there, there was no going back. No exceptions. So she glanced up. The rivers were too strong to fight against, so this collision was going to happen. All she could do, was pray.

Suddenly, an arrow coursed past her head. She watched it fly by, and connect to that rock before them. Glaring back, she saw Shadow. He tugged on the rope with all his strength, fighting against the rivers that pushed them. They moved to the side, and passed the rock purely by Shadow's strength. The boat was, unintentionally, turned around by Shadow's tactic, giving them very little sight on their movements. It didn't matter however, for their next obstacle was unavoidable.

"Tikal..." Shadow whispered, looking at said obstacle.

"Yes..." she answered, swallowing her spit.

"Get ready to jump..."

She looked past his body. Falling, possibly a hundred feet in the air, was soon to be them. A water fall, was what they had to dodge next, and there was chance they wouldn't survive. Not if they fell, that is.

"Great..." she said, sarcastically.

"Get ready..." he whispered.

They stood on their raft, despite the fact that it was now wobbling dangerously. One misstep, and they could be falling to the earth. But they wouldn't allow that to happen. Not now, not ever.

The raft neared the edge. They leaped.

Falling through the air, Tikal took a deep breath. It would be easy to make this, all she had to do was glide. So she lifted her arms, spread out her dreads, then coursed up. Blue eyes moved over, she saw Shadow. He was falling.

"Pull up!" she yelled, "PULL UP!"

But he didn't. Instead, he curled up into a tight, perfect ball. He spun in that ball, over and over again, increasing his speed to high levels. And as soon as he touched the waves, he bounced back up. He uncurled in the air, spread out his quills, and floated up. Crossing his arms, he hovered slightly near Tikal, that stoic face of his gazing into her soul.

"What?" he questioned.

"You... scared me..." she said, easily.

"I just needed to make sure I could still spin dash... ugh... I forget a lot of things..."

She tackled him.

The two crashed on the cliff side, atop an elevated platform. She dug her face in his chest, while she closed her eyes ever so tightly. The hedgehog held her up, however, before saying,

"You can stop now..."

She glanced down, as her face grew quite frail.

"I'm sorry... I got ahead of myself... I suppose... I thank you for saving me again."

"I didn't save you, ya'know," he said, easily, "It was you who taught me how to glide, after all."

"Then... You're welcome..." she said smiling.

And he. He smiled back.

"Just don't get ahead of yourself." he commented.

She got to her knees, so she could remove herself from his body. He too, leaned up, so the two were at head level with each other. Silence took over, as her smile grew warm. She reached forth, grabbed his shoulder, and moved in. She could feel her eyes closing, and her face moving inward. She didn't know what she was doing. She felt.

Good.

Her lips puckered. She continued moving forward.

She.

She.

"We need to keep moving."

Her eyes opened up.

She stared at the hedgehog before her, as he stood stoically with arms crossed. Eyes closed, he merely nodded his head toward the cliff's top.

Tikal felt foolish again, as she got to her toes. Shadow got to his toes a moment later. Did he see what she almost did? Probably. But she didn't want to believe it.

"Okay..." she said, "Let's go..."

* * *

_Trivia Time!_

_Jeeze, I think I should just call this Maverick Talks, cause that's all I do, but now I digress..._

_This chapter, as you can tell, was just insight on Tikal's mother and such. I wanted to really explain that for some reason. Honestly, this chapter was supposed to be all about Tikal and Shadow, but I suppose I'll save that till the next chapter._

_Once again, I need to explain some things about names. Akna, that is Tikal's mother, is once again named after a Mayan god. Akna, that is the Mayan god Akna, is the goddess of fertility and mother hood. I felt like it was befitting naming her after the goddess of mothers. To me, Akna, that is the echidna, is supposed to be a tough and strong woman, she is, after all, the Master Emerald Guardian. She's that kind of person who takes little nonsense, and is serious one hundred percent of the time. Why? Well, she protects the most important object of Mobius, that's why!_

_Yes, that is Emerl in this Chapter. Where he goes after this, no one knows, because Gerald said he found him in a random warehouse. Makes no sense, but, whatever. Talk to Sonic Battle about that. I wanted Emerl to be just as strong here, as he is in the final battle of Sonic Battle. Ya'know, when he's beating the crap out of you while you run around in circles in fear. What, only I did that? Well ya'know why? He went super sayian on my tail! But, yet again, I digress._

_If you didn't notice, or maybe you did, Finitevus looked different in this chapter. Instead of being white furred with gold eyes, he instead has red fur and purple eye. Why? I'm pretty sure you can figure it out, I mean, he did just get hit by a freaking lightning bolt. And, is Finitevus technically Tikal's uncle. Maybe. Maybe not. You decided._

_One more thing. Earlier in this Chapter, I mention Chrome Gadget Zone. For those of you who don't know, Chrome Gadget Zone is a zone from Sonic 3's competition mode. It's also my favorite one. The music was just sooooooooo awesome. I always wondered why Angel Island had a power plant on it, though. I guess you can say Dr. Robotnik made it during his occupation of Angel Island, but I don't know. I like to think the Nocturnus Tribe made it thousands of years ago. So that's why it appears here. Just a bit personal canon if you will. Also, they made Carnival Night Zone, and Balloon Park Zone. Echidnas love to gamble, duh._

_Well, that's it for today, I guess. The next Chapter? You'll see._

_Let it be forever known. The greatest Pokemon villain is Cyrus. No exceptions! Giovanni is a close second though._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	13. Fire and Light

Fire and Light

She gazed at the hedgehog before her. It was random, yet again, when she found herself, waking up. The cackles of fire moved between them, bursting and burning. He made the fire, attributing this ability to his training, whatever that was. Right now, he sat erect, eyes closed, person asleep.

After those river rapids, the duo walked for a few hours, only to stop for rest. Around them, endless fields that seemed to spread on endlessly. The green glades were beautiful, in all honesty, as they seemed to reflect the moonlight from above. How long were the nights? How long would the moon and stars remain overhead, gazing down upon them? The echidna did not know. She was usually a heavy sleeper, so clearing the night wasn't a hard thing for her. But she found it so hard now.

"Shadow..." she whispered out.

The hedgehog's eyes opened quickly, and he darted those crimson orbs left and right. He got so alert so suddenly, even though no danger was around. It didn't take long for him to realize the position they were in, and so, his demeanor calmed down.

"What?" he questioned, lowly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered back, "I didn't know you would get so angry."

His shoulders slumped down, while his hands released the arms they held. Through the flames, she felt his gaze intensify, as if she had bothered him with her foolishness. That gaze made her wilt down, causing her to shift her blue eyes downward.

"What is it that you want?" he inquired, body growing lenient.

"I... don't know..." she whispered, his voice causing her to gaze back up, "I just wanted to know something..."

"Fine then... shoot..." he stated, eyes closing, "I'll answer to the best of my abilities..."

Tikal cocked her head to the side. He looked so compose, so calm right now, not caring in the least bit what happened. The orange echidna found this to be odd. Surely, he should have berated her, shouldn't he have? Well, for now, she would enjoy the brief moment of openness.

"Uh... So... how's the future?"

"The future?" he responded, eyes opening.

"Yeah, that's where you come from, right? The Future... it has such an interesting name to it. What happens to my people? And the land? What happens to me, even?"

The hedgehog scratched the back of his ear, while his eyes gazed off in an uncomfortable manner.

"What happens to you, eh?" he questioned, his voice hiding something.

"Yeah," she responded, head nodding, "What happens to me in the future, Starman?"

"I... don't think I'm allowed to share that information with you, Tikal."

"Why's that?" she questioned.

"It can... mess up the space-time continuum, and other nonsense..."

"Space... time... continuum?" Tikal repeated, not sure what that exactly meant.

"It's... scientific mumbo jumbo... you wouldn't understand..."

"Scientific mumbo jumbo? Shadow, you're suddenly not making sense."

"Listen," he suddenly said, "I can't talk about the future. If I do, I could change the future in a lot of negative ways. Its time travel 101. You don't change the past, the past doesn't change the future. If you do... crazy things can happen."

"So... by that decree... even your standing here could change something in the future, right?"

"That's why I need to get to the future," Shadow answered, "I can return at any point I wish, which is why I plan on returning only a few minutes after my disappearance. That doesn't take into play my time here. The longer I stay, the more the future is changed."

"But... how do you know?"

Tikal's statement made Shadow lock up. Honestly, he didn't _really_ know if his time here could change the future. He was sure it was screwing something up, but he didn't know if he was correct. For all he knew, time was correct. Maybe his existence in this time was fulfilling some spatial gap, one that only he could correct. As if, his existence here, was supposed to happen. Of course, this was just a theory, and he could just be screwing up the future.

Ugh. All this time travel nonsense was hurting him, and Tikal seemed to notice. She waved her hands, ending Shadow's thinking, and said,

"Never mind... forget I ever asked it. I'm sure it would hurt my head."

"Yeah..." he answered, as his eyes closed, "It probably would."

With a sigh, he returned to his sleepy demeanor. But Tikal wasn't done as of yet.

"Can you at least tell me about the future?" she questioned, "I mean... is it nice? Is wars a thing of the past, or do we coexist with one another perfectly."

"No..." he answered flatly, "And such things are only fairy tales."

"I..." she grew quite crestfallen, "I guess that was pretty childish. I wish we could all be happy. The Knuckles Tribe. The Nocturnus Tribe. And wars, wars, would be a thing of the past. All of these making weapons, Gizoids, training warriors to kill. I wish it didn't exist. But, I guess that's the world we live in."

"Yeah," he answered, "That's the world we live in."

Shadow didn't know why but, looking at Tikal's unhappy face made his heart choke. He felt really bad for her. She was only a girl of the past, with notions of the future. Maybe, at a point in time, he was the same way. A simple guy, with notions of the world. He had someone to help him so, why not play an angel for while.

"It's not all bad though..." he whispered.

"What is?"

"The future," he stated, "It's not all bad. People have fun all the time, live these happy lives. In fact, it's not so different from all of this. They make families, build communities, watch the game on Sundays."

"Sundays?" Tikal said.

"Sunday. It comes after Saturday, and before Monday. Depending on where you live, it's the first day of the week, or the last."

"Then what's today?"

Since Shadow hadn't the slightest clue what today was, he grew flustered. That unsure face that was filled with thoughts made Tikal giggle out, and kick the ground. Her cheery face was in direct contrast to his indifferent one, as he glared back with red eyes. After a while, the light-hearted mood faded away, and Tikal grew quiet. Still, her smile remained, as she propped her head up with her hands.

And then she asked a question. One, simple question, Shadow wasn't sure he could answer.

"In the future," she said, "Are you happy?"

He merely looked at her, as wayward thoughts took a hold of him. Happiness. It was a concept he rarely thought upon. He couldn't say he was unhappy, for that wouldn't be true. But, in all honesty, he couldn't say he _was _happy. He was just on the fence about it. On the fence.

"I'm sure you've made a lot of people happy though," she said, answering some nonexistent question he posed, "Yeah. You're probably some kind of hero in the future. Swooping in, and saving everyone without a thought. You don't want recognition, or money, or fame, or respect, you just want the world to keep turning. You want people to be happy, right?"

He wasn't sure if she were true or not, but his body seemed to accept it. So for now, he would accept it.

With a nod, he made the nubile girl before him smile. She was pleased with his statement, and ya'know what, he was too.

…

He found his ruby eyes opening. With a groan and a crack of his muscles, he was finally able to lurch himself up, just to see what was around him. The grassy fields were silent, the sun was up high, and the fire they made the earlier night had died out.

Oh yeah. And Tikal wasn't there.

Shadow shot up. His crimson eyes darted around, as he searched for his angelic partner. Those sandals of his brought him closer and closer away, and farther to the river they left in order to get up here. Staring down to the beaches of the river, he saw an orange being. The sight of her, made his heart calm.

She looked so different, the nubile princess did. Her clothes were discarded to the side, showing that she was naked. From head to toe, she was wearing nothing. Even the gold objects of jewelery that hung on her body, lied to the side. The only thing that was on her person, was the makeshift spear in her hand.

It was wrong for him to look, he knew that. But, he couldn't look away. She looked so beautiful there. Hair waving calmly in the wind. Grip on that spear, tightening with each second. Standing tall, naked, ready, but ready for what? What was she doing down there, on the beach's edge, with the weapon in hand? He couldn't wait to see, so he stood in pure silence.

Suddenly Tikal moved. Her body hunched down, as she gripped the spear in hand with both hands. The water before her started to toil. Those blue eyes of hers squinted in preparation. More, and more, the water wavered, becoming violent as it did so. Shadow began to wonder what was making the river ripple. His question was soon answered.

The river exploded. Water was thrown in every which way, dousing Tikal in it. As she stood, now wet, she glared at the being responsible for it. A serpent. A great, green, aquatic serpent, glared holes at the girl before it. Its tongue slithered in and out of its jaw, and its eyesight grew with intensity. It was a great monster, one that would surely terrify those around it. Shadow felt his body stiffen in preparation to fight the being, but Tikal did not waver.

She aimed the sharpened end of her spear toward the great beast, as its scaly body started to move down and down. Shadow grew less poise, as he waited for the scene to unfold before his eyes. But if there was any sign of trouble, he would strike. For now, however. For now.

The serpent dashed forward, its head like some sword. It dove into the ground where Tikal stood, but she quickly dodged the attack. The nubile princess landed a fairways away, setting her spear into attack position once more. As the snake pulled away, the princes lunged forward, latching onto its head with her hand. She pulled back her spear, and aimed it toward the serpent's head. The beast, realizing what she was doing, started to thrash about violently. The orange furred echidna found herself being moved left and right, at such quick speeds. But she showed no fear. Her hand remained attached onto the serpent's head, as that spear aimed its way back. The serpents eyes sharpened.

With one mighty lung, the great snake tossed Tikal to the earth. She slammed into it powerfully, showing just how strong the throw was. Shadow's glare intensified, as he got ready to pounce. But once again, the echidna surprised her. She got to her fours in some feral stance, as she eyed the beast before her. As it stood tall, she pulled back. Her blue eyes trekked up the reptile, and eventually to the sky. Her head moved up and down.

Pulling back her hand, she threw up her spear. It flew up and up in the sky, missing the serpent greatly. Shadow faced palmed himself. Surely, now would be the time to intervene. But it would not end that way. Tikal ducked down, and started spinning. Faster and faster she went, into the perfectly tight ball, that was a spin dash. She serpent must have had enough of this, as it prepared to end it with another attack. The chance never arrived, however, as Tikal suddenly launched herself skyward in a ball.

Maybe it was the momentum she gained in that ball, or perhaps it was her already strong echidna physiology. Whatever the case may be, once she hit that serpent, it was like an explosion setting off on the side of its jaw. But she didn't stop moving. Farther and farther up she went, her hand reaching out. Falling now, shining in the sky, was her spear. She grabbed it in the air, spun around, aimed, then threw it.

She serpent gazed elsewhere. The spear grew closer and closer.

Blood. Blood everywhere.

The serpent fell down, head first, on the beach side. The spear, sticking clearly out of the creäture's head. It said nothing, it did nothing, it just lay there. Tikal fell to her feet a moment later. With that angelic demeanor of her's back, she walked up to the serpent's side. And, with that respectful nature which is always hers, she bowed toward the creature.

"Thank you," she said, "I promise I will use your body in its entirety."

The serpent ceased its breathing moments later, as Tikal's calming hands smoothed against its head.

Shadow didn't know how to feel, honestly. The scene that had just unfolded before him was both demented, yet oddly alluring. And here he was thinking Tikal was a pacifistic, when she just proved how dangerous she could be. He just couldn't stop himself from saying,

"What an interesting girl."

Her ears twitched. Almost immediately, he locked up.

Quickly, he ducked under the hill, while his muzzle turned red with embarrassment. Now, he felt wrong for watching her act out in her naked splendor. It wasn't right of him, no matter what she was doing. And he almost got caught.

"Shadow!" her voice called.

Scratch that. He _was_ caught.

"Shadow! Come down here!" she continued.

Really? Did she really ask him that? Was she still naked, or had she just dressed herself in record time. There was only one way to find out. His head moved closer and closer to the edge of the hillside, just so he could see if she was still naked.

She was, of course. And yet, she didn't seem to mind.

Her hand waved to and fro in a come motion, as a smile appeared on her lips. The grip she held on her blood painted spear also loosened, allowing the weapon to fall. Still, she waved to him, as if she didn't notice the predicament they were in.

"Shadow, I can't carry this by myself, come down here!" she went on, explaining her position.

But he didn't want to. He just gazed down to her, and the sight made him look away.

"No." he answered, voice cracking a bit.

"No?" she responded, "What do you mean by 'no'?"

"Not until you put on clothing!" he yelled.

Now, it seems, it was her turn to be confused. She looked down to her naked body, while a red flash took her muzzle. Gazing back up to the Starman, her shoulders fell slump, and she asked with a crestfallen visage,

"What? You don't think I'm beautiful?"

What the hell kind of question was that? It wasn't a matter of if she were beautiful or not, it was a matter of decency. He really couldn't believe those words left her lips, but what he couldn't believe anymore, was the answer he gave.

"I didn't say that! You are beautiful!"

Unfortunately, he caught his words right at the end. It was too late to bring them back now, much to his ire. Tikal seemed to be pleased with them, as a smile grew to her lips.

"Then what is the matter, Starman? Why must I put on clothing!"

"It's... not right for you to be just standing there, naked! It's! It's indecent!"

The nubile woman laughed at the statement, finding it to be the funniest thing in the world.

"It's indecent, Shadow?" she replied, "There's nothing indecent about the naked body!"

"I don't care!" he responded, "I'm not coming down until you put on some clothing!"

His begging statements made Tikal giggle, and yet ultimately, she relented. He watched her move over to the clothing she placed on the beach side, and pick them up. He should have looked away at that point in time, and yet he didn't. He continued to watch. Watch her slide on that white take top of hers that covered her chest. Slide those panties of hers up on her body. The green, white, and red skirt next. How it hugged her waist so perfectly. The golden sets of jewelery that hung on her body, and how it so perfectly matched her. Everything.

Was he drooling? No, that can't be it.

With a furious growl, he ducked behind the hill. What the hell was she doing to him? He never had these thoughts before, never, not once in his life. Not with Rouge, or with Amy, or with Maria, or with any woman he's ever passed ever. Then what was it about this nubile princess, that had his innards twisted into knots? She had to be doing something to him. Deep down, that angelic appearance had to hide some kind of witch.

But he didn't believe it. No, that's wrong. Tikal is no witch. She is some kind of angel. He's just being an idiot, that's all.

Finally, his heart calmed down. Once more, he peered over the edge. Tikal was looking at him, her face a questioning glance.

"Are you coming now, Starman?" she asked.

He nodded.

Over the hill, and to the beach, his feet brought him. Tikal's face seemed to grow happier with each second. Finally, he reached her, and upon doing so, he crossed his arms. Tikal, finding his increase in defense, decided to prod him a bit. She made her way over, tapped his shoulder, and brought his vision to her.

"Shadow?" she said, "Are you okay? You're a bit flustered?"

Nakedness must have been natural for the echidna race, for she surely found it to be.

"Why were you naked?" he inquired, face blushing with embarrassment.

"Wow, nakedness must be something in the future, huh, Starman?"

"Try illegal." he answered.

"Really? How can it be? It's just the body."

"No," he whispered, "It's more than that."

"How can it be?" she asked.

"Listen, it's just not right, okay?"

"Alright... wow... what's got you so hung up."

"You're so natural about it... I'm not used to it. Still..." he glanced at her, "Why were you naked?"

"Hunting," she answered, as she picked up a spear, "The way my people hunt, we aren't allowed to use something that is beyond that of which we kill."

"What?" Shadow inquired.

"What I'm trying to say is... It's wrong to fight something beneath you, with things they not yet understand. We must be respectful to the law of the land, that law being, everything is equal. When we hunt, we are only allowed to use that which we, on our own, make. When I decided to get breakfast for us this morning, I needed to get ready. You were so sleepy, I couldn't wake you up, so I found me a stick. Found me a rock, then spent an hour or two fashioning it into a weapon. After that, I went down to the river, stripped down, then got ready to hunt. I was expecting fish but, a serpent, that surprised me."

"So you got naked," Shadow prodded as he eyed the serpent.

"Yes," she said, glancing to her clothing, "I had to in order to be on the same level as the serpent."

"That thing outweighs you by, I'd say, a couple hundred pounds, is taller than you by a great length, and could probably crush you without even trying. And you had to get naked, to fight it."

"Well yeah. I may be dangerously out performed, but I still must be respectful. We have to be on equal terms, ya'know?"

"Yeah..." he answered, "I suppose I do..."

"Good! Now, let's get this thing up the hill, I'm hungry."

She gripped the serpent tightly by the head, and he grabbed it around the beast's waist. As she took head point, the duo started up the grassy fields. Shadow still felt ancy about the whole 'Naked Tikal' thing, as his muzzle was heating up again. The image of her au naturel made his mind go numb, unfortunately enough. This images were never in his mind, and that's what drove him the craziest. How, or what, was she doing to him, that made him think this way. Even now, as he stared at her, he could just imagine the skin that lied beneath. How smooth, how flawless it must be. How perfect.

"Shadow," she called, looking at him, "Are you okay? You're head is... wobbling all funny like."

"I'm fine!" he answered, teeth showing, "Just... keeping walking..."

"Okay, okay..." she said, answering his sudden rudeness.

…

How tender this meat was. With each passing moment, the hedgehog found himself becoming more and more impressed by the girl before him. Fighting, hunting, spirituality, and now cooking. What couldn't she do.

Tikal's preparation of the serpent, despite the lack of technology, was simply divine. Or maybe, his mind was playing tricks on him. Again.

She sat right beside him, her hand holding the hide of a certain lizard, while her teeth tore into the well cooked hide. Every now and then, her blue eyes would look to him, but for the most part, they stayed trained on the flames before her.

Cackling and popping, it was, with each second.

"I thought you were pacifist." he suddenly murmured, wiping his mouth clean of food.

"What are you talking about, I am." she answered.

"I bet the serpent wouldn't agree..." he stated easily.

"Oh, what? Hunting?" she started laughing, as if Shadow had become childish. It didn't take long for that to fade away, however, "I needed to kill that serpent so we can keep on. If we went up to the Nocturnus Tribe, hungry and tired, they'd kill us on the spot. I need to keep our energy up, Starman."

"I suppose. But you detest fighting."

"I do," she whispered, "But, when one hunts, and they grow on the same level as that which they prey upon, then all of that is made moot, Shadow. I suppose you can say, once I start hunting, I become an animal."

"We're all animals... aren't we?" he inquired.

"As much as we evolve. We still hang on to primal urges."

Primal urges. Shadow found that simple phrase to stick in his head. Was that what he was feeling? Primal urges? Maybe it was. His animalistic mind was finding Tikal attractive, not himself. It was such a simple answer, it made him wonder why it took so long to come up with that answer.

Primal urges. It was such a simple answer. It must have been those primal urges that turned his head to her.

He just watched her eat for a little bit. The small little bites she took out of her meal, and the way her face brightened up when she enjoyed it. He found it to be cute. And soon, his gaze was met by her's. They just looked at each other for a little while in this mystical silence. Was it primal urges that moved between the two? Or was it something else?

She moved forward slowly. Oddly, Shadow found his head to be doing the same thing, just to meet her touch. Tikal's arm reached forward, eventually meeting the top of his shoulder. His fingers started to glide past her sides, in order to reach her waist. Their eyes closed.

Suddenly, Tikal fell forward.

Her face met Shadow's chest, much to the hedgehog's surprise. His eyes snapped open, as he gazed at the, now unconscious, body he held. She wasn't moving at all, and that terrified him.

He leaped up to his quickly, and his eyes combed the fields around them. There was nothing there, but he knew something was up. Tikal wouldn't just faint for now reason. He continued to hold on to her tightly, while he looked left and right with quick eyes. To show he meant business, he started to growl like some feral beast. For a while, everything was silent, save for his growls and the cackling fire.

That cackling fire.

Something sharp entered his neck.

He tensed up at the feeling, while his feet struggled to hold him up. Some words left his mouth, as his eyes started to close shut. His legs buckled under the pressure, and he fell forward. Deep down inside, he felt an odd sense of mission fill him. He fell forward, in a soft manner, just so he could protect the girl who held onto him.

Silence.

A strong wind blew by, and the fire was turned out.

Footsteps. Soft, near silent footsteps, but footsteps nonetheless.

They moved through the field, and grew nearer to the unconscious beings. What was this creäture that stood upon them. It stood tall above them. Echidna in shape, but body so different. Armor lied over every inch of its body, showing no signs of gender or person. Honestly, it could have easily passed as a robot, let alone something that was alive. What was this thing? That question was answered by the sign on its back.

Nocturnus Tribe.

* * *

_Trivia Time!_

_Or..._

_Maverick Talks!_

_Yeah, you decided._

_Anyway, I'm not gonna lie, I actually enjoyed writing this chapter. I don't know why. Something between the brief fighting and the psychology of the characters mind, just made this chapter fun to me. _

_In all honesty, I wanted to make this chapter focus on Shadow's thoughts. To me, this is like the opposite of the chapter Fun & Games. In that chapter, Tikal was going through these thoughts that were very, sexual, should I say. Yeah, that bath tub rubbing is sexual urges, ya'know. I wanted Shadow to go through the same thing, pretty much, in this one. Sure, his mind isn't playing tricks on him like it was Tikal, but something similar. And, I tried to make Shadow not seem like some kind of pervert. I mean, it's easy to to think that, with him watching Tikal naked, but its more than that. He's not into Tikal for purely sexual reasons, he's into her for reasons he doesn't yet grasp, reasons which will be revealed later. So yeah, there's that._

_Tikal's praying to the serpent after her killing of it is very important, actually. Tikal isn't violent, or a murderer, its more than that. Native Americans, I'm not sure which tribe but, some of them used to prey to animals upon hunting them. They would thank the creatures for allowing them to be made into things which were needed, such as food, or tools and what not. To be honest, I think I'm making up to much back story for the tribes and how their people are. Its like I'm doing Sega's job for them. Granted, this is the point of fanfics, isn't it?_

_Yo Sega. Where's my Billy Hatcher 2 at? No, like seriously, where is it? And why wasn't he in Sonic & Allstars Racing Transformed? That's bull crap!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	14. Nocturnal Nightmares

Nocturnal Nightmares

She pulled herself up from the wooden desk. Arms reaching up, a strand of drool left her lips, while at the same time a much-needed yawn escaped her. Lifting her hand, she briefly tugged on the t-shirt she wore, as she gave an annoyed groan. She couldn't believe she slept in this, or, more importantly, she fell asleep at all. But, regardless, it wasn't time to dwell on that.

She stood up from the chair she sat on, while her hand gripped her orange dreads. Still yawning, she watched her naked feet bring her down the wooden halls of this home. She saw pictures, but they were so blurry thanks to her morning vision, she could care less.

What time was it? She found herself wondering that, as her blue eyes looked down to the cut off jeans around her waist. She figured it was early, for the morning sun was still in sight. But just ever so barely. Ever so.

She stopped at a door. A specific door. Her hand found the knob, and she twisted it slightly. Said door of wood opened up, while her blue eyes scanned the room. A nice, medium-sized room, with a queen sized bed. And inside said bed, sheets over his body in a most pleasant curl, a specific black and red hedgehog.

"Shadow..." she called to the being in the bed, "Shadow, get up."

The hedgehog didn't toil in the least bit, causing her to groan.

"Shadow," she called again, this time, laying her hand on his shoulder, "Shadow. I said get up!"

Still silent was his body, and this only annoyed her further.

"Shadow," she called again, "Shadow get up."

Silence.

"Shadow, I swear. Your job won't work itself. Get up!"

Finally, he moved, but it was a grumble at best. This didn't make her feel better.

"Starman... Get... up... Shadow... Wake up!"

…

"WAKE UP! SHADOW! GET UP! GET UP! PLEASE!"

His eyes snapped open.

Left and right, to and fro, those crimson eyes of his darted. The screams, the screams of the girl beside him, continued to echo in his ears, much to his ire. He needed to think, and she wasn't making it any easier.

"Tikal!" he yelled, dementedly as well, "Shush it!"

He needed to catch his bearings. Where were they, and what was holding him back. One glance at his arm revealed a chain, a chain attached to an orange echidna tugging on his side.

"Shadow..." she whispered, fearfully.

He continued to scan their environment. It was dark. Really dark. The only light came from the small window above them, and the steel bars holding them in this cell. That's where they were, a cell. But why, and how? Only one way to figure it out.

He stood up quickly. The sudden movement tugged Tikal up as well, despite the fact that she was sitting. The chain bonding the two together wasn't that long, so they were attached, at the wrist. Well, better there than somewhere else.

"Where are we?" he inquired, those ruby eyes of his moving around the dark room.

"I don't know," Tikal whispered, "But... I've seen men walk by the cell doors. They were wearing armor."

"What kind of armor?"

"Noctunus. Armor."

The hedgehog gave a loud groan, one that shook the very foundation of the room. Kidnapped. He wasn't planning that, of course. They must have done something to him too, because he didn't remember getting here at all. And to be attached to Tikal like this, it only made him wonder more. How long had they been stuck here? And... And...

He glared down. Gone. They were gone. He glanced over to Tikal. Gone too. All marks of jewelery on their bodies, the gold, the crystals, they were all gone. But Shadow could care less for that, what he was freaking out over, was the bands around their wrists. The blue, and gold rings, which lied near their hands, were gone. The hedgehog could even see the markings of where they should lie. The sight of it made him growl.

"Great," he remarked, sarcastically, "This is just perfect!"

"Shadow, what are we going to do?" Tikal questioned, "The Nocturnus Tribe hates us Knuckles Tribesmen! And seeing as they took us here, I think its easy to tell, they know who we are!"

"I know," he grumbled, "We'll just have to... think about it for a while."

"Think!" she said, frantically, "Shadow, I don't think you understand the seriousness of this all."

The hedgehog shot her a glare.

"I always understand the seriousness," he answered, "That's why we need to calm down. Freaking out like this won't help."

"Then what do we do?"

Her last question made him think. Sneaking out a base like this is easy, especially for him. He is, after all, a genetically modified hedgehog that's at superior strength. It doesn't help when he's stuck to an echidna who hates fighting, and when his Chaos Power are literally nonexistent. Oh well, that's why training was made.

He made his way over to the bars of the cell room. Of course, she did too, but not by her own doing. They were attached, ya'know.

The hedgehog laid his hands on the bars, and gripped them tightly. He stared out as much as he could, forcing those ruby eyes of his to gaze down the halls. There seemed to be very little life, as the halls were cold, and silent. Shadow didn't know what to do, as he pulled his head back. This area was much different from the rest of this natural world. It was highly advanced, reminding him of a certain big nosed doctor.

But that was putting images in his mind he didn't want.

"Do you... see anything?" Tikal asked.

"No," he answered, pulling back from the bars, "Not one thing."

"Then what do we do?"

The hedgehog's eyes squinted, as he gained an idea. His Chaos Powers may have been gone, but not his natural strength. Bending these metal bars would be as easy as one-two-three! He latched his hands onto the bar, and started to pull. Stronger, and stronger, his arms worked, to the point and time he began to strain himself. He could hear Tikal in his ear, begging him to stop, but now he was working off of adrenaline. He continued to pull, stronger and stronger, until that wonderful noise of bending metal entered his ears.

The sound caused him to fall back, where he landed in Tikal's waiting arms. How long he was working, he didn't know, but it did cause him to sweat. Dragging his hand across his forehead, he found that out. He could have sworn he was strong, but that thing was way stronger. What was it made out of?

"Shadow... it's not working..."

"What is it made out of?" he asked, "I should be able to get through it."

"Like I said, the Nocturnus Tribe hates us. We've fought many times before. These bars are probably made out of a material a Knuckles Tribesmen can't get through."

"That... sounds plausible..." the hedgehog replied standing up, "But I think I can get through it."

"Are you really going to try?" she asked.

"It's either that, or we wait in here for who knows how long."

He returned his ruby eyes to the silver bars. If one focused hard enough, they could see it bend outwards just barely. If he did that earlier, he could force them open with more time. He latched his hands on the bars, and once again started to pull. Harder and harder, stronger and stronger, bigger and better, he pulled, forcing every inch of his power into his hands. He was trying not to strain himself, though that was very hard to do in his position. Fortunately enough, an orange echidna was there to stop him.

Tikal pulled him away, gaining an annoyed grunt from his lips. She merely pointed forward. Through the rush, Shadow never noticed he forced open a hole large enough for them to get through. Sure, it would take a bit of work, but they'd be able to get through.

"I can't believe you did that," she whispered, "How did you?"

"I'm not sure..." he answered, "But I'm not gonna fight it off. Let's go."

She nodded. But now, her demeanor shifted. Throughout all of this, she took the head point. She did, after all, know the entire way to the Nocturnus Tribe, after all. But now, she wasn't taking the lead. She instead shuffled behind the black hedgehog, in a frightened manner. This girl, who easily took down a serpent much bigger than her. That made the hedgehog think. If the Nocturnus Tribe had her this riled up, then there's no telling what he was in for.

The hedgehog stepped out of the cell. A moment later, Tikal did too. They made no movements, as they gazed down the long cold halls. Nearly unconsciously, she leaned up against the hedgehog before her. Her constant shakes sent tingles down his body. She was truly, honestly, scared.

There was a window down the hall. Much different from the small cell room window. This one was bigger, and would give a greater sight of the outside. Shadow started to approach the window with each shaky step, Tikal ever so close to him. And once they arrived, their eyes opened wide.

High up, those two were, above a city that was vastly different from what they were used too. Power plants were intermixed with buildings and such, as this mystical power seemed to drive the great city. Everything was so lively, so filled with this vigor, it was hard to explain. What gave this city life?

"I want to go," Tikal whispered, "I want to go..."

Shadow wanted to leave as well. This place felt so evil. So wrong. So deranged.

And there was someone behind them.

Shadow spun around quickly, with Tikal struggling to get behind him. His ruby eyes scanned the long halls, until coming to this dark figure before them. This echidna stood there, like some messenger of evil. The lines on its body pulsating with unexplainable purple energy. And those eyes. Those eyes.

"Who are you!?" Shadow barked.

This long strand of silence hankered on for a while, with the hedgehog gaining absolutely no answer. Of course, this did nothing to lower the hedgehog's growing rage.

"I said," he whispered at first, "WHO ARE YOU!?"

The armor wearing echidna glared up, those cold eyes of it not moving in the least bit. What lied beneath that steel cold appearance? Shadow both wanted to know, and didn't, at the same time. Just gazing at this being, staring at him, locked his blood up. Obviously, this being was waiting for a battle. Who wasn't? The hedgehog and echidna did just escape their bondage, after all. Just when would it start.

"Please, don't," Tikal said, stepping forward, "We don't want any problems!"

The Nocturnus being straightened up. Suddenly, it rose its hand. The palm of it, opened up wide, and this purple electricity started to surge through it. Stronger and stronger, that energy charged, before the being aimed forth its hand. Shadow took a fighting pose, which wasn't working well sense he was attached to Tikal currently. How was he going to fight this guy, with her holding him back? He didn't know, but if he didn't soon, he'd be a dead man. Speaking of which.

The Nocturnus echidna thrusted forth its hand. This purple strand of chaotic energy flew out and toward Shadow. On any other day, the hedgehog would have easily dodged the attack. But, of course, this was no normal day. The lightning bolt struck him with so much force, it threw him into the wall behind. This also did the same to Tikal, since they were held together like this.

Shadow bounced off the wall violently, while his hand gripped his chest. Tikal tried to help him up, but he shook her off violently. Ruby eyes glaring up, they saw the echidna step forward, its hand charging that energy once again. Shadow took to his feet like the speed demon he was, while his hands took the form of a fighter. His foe shot out its energy once again, this time, aimed at both he _and_ Tikal.

The tribal girl tried to move one way, while Shadow moved the other way. Of course, this wasn't the most well planned of maneuvers. Because of this Shadow, had to refocus his strategy. He lunged back into the place of Tikal, and took the lightning bolt chest first. Just like last time, he was thrown into the wall, with that pain multiplying itself.

"Shadow!" Tikal cried again.

"Tikal let go!" he ordered back.

Now, he was struggling to his feet. Taking two powerful blasts to the chest would do that to a person. Screw that. Taking two powerful blasts to the chest would _kill_ a person. How Shadow was standing right now only showed how strong he was. To bad that strength was waning.

Once more, he took his fighting pose. The Nocturnus Tribesmen was getting ever so closer, however. He needed to end this, and fast, if he planned on living longer. But, damn, was Tikal slowing him down. He couldn't perform his attacks, not with her in such close proximity to him.

And there she goes again. Running up before him, hands on her chest.

"Please, stop this!" she begged of their assailant, "This fighting is going nowhere!"

Obviously, the Nocturnus didn't care. It merely pulled back its hand once more, whilst preparing another attack. Tikal started to brace for impact, while her eyes closed.

"Just please... stop!"

The energy continue to charge.

"STOP!"

Their foe fired.

This long blast of chaotic energy flew forward once again. But this time Shadow took the charge. His hand slammed into the blast, stopping it in place. When the oddest of things happened.

Shadow looked to his hand, seeing this ever powerful blast swarming in his hand. It was familiar, as if he had used it before. The sight of it made him small.

Chaos Energy. So pure. So powerful.

The hedgehog turned back, and flung this charge forward. The Nocturnus echidna fired back a blast of greater energy. Shadow started to laugh, as the blast flew forward. He slammed his hand on the return fire, and sent it careening straight back. Once again, the echidna returned his blast, only for Shadow to return it. This went on for a few more seconds, before an explosion occurred.

The smoke settled, and Shadow's laughter ended. Lying on the ground surrounded by silence, was that damned echidna. But it wasn't moving.

Tikal clamped her hands over her mouth, while Shadow stepped forward. He eventually got to the same area of his attacker, and gazed upon him. It was a man, he could tell now. The armor he owned, had been partially blown, specifically the helmet. That was a man's face. And soon, it would be a dead one.

Shadow dropped his knee on his neck. The echidna immediately woke up, as his air started to escape him. He tried to pry this hedgehog from his body, but it wasn't working. He continued to hold him down, with all his might. The echidna's eyes started to roll back, as Shadow's eyes began to squint. Stronger, and stronger, he forced, with air escaping. And finally, it was over. The echidna wasn't dead, but he was out like a light. And Shadow forced himself on.

"Shadow, what are you doing?" Tikal questioned, watching this horror unfold.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Shadow responded.

"What, are you afraid he's going to tell?" she inquired.

"I'm not afraid he's going to tell. I _know_ he's going to tell. But not after this. He won't be able to tell."

"Shadow, you've won, you have no need to kill him!"

"I'm snipping off those loose ends, Tikal. I'm going to end him."

The echidna began choking in his unconscious slumber.

"Stop!" Tikal ordered, "Shadow, I beg of you, please stop this!"

"I'm not stopping Tikal," he replied, "Now if you don't want to see this. I recommend you close your eyes."

Suddenly, Tikal's hands met his shoulder, as she tried to pry him away. He wouldn't budge, however, and after a while, she stopped. Eyes closing, she gave a deep breath, while her voice grew meek.

"Please, Shadow. Stop. You don't know this man. You don't know if he has a family at home. You can't take him away, not from this world. Not from these people who love him. Shadow, please stop."

Such words of life had no bearings on the hedgehog's mind. And yet, to his own surprise, he found himself rising. He knee left the echidna's neck, allowing him to breathe again. Shadow stood up tall, while his ruby orbs shot daggers at Tikal. He was obviously unhappy with his decision, but she couldn't be any happier.

"Thank you..." she whispered.

"Don't thank me yet..." he answered, "Just pray this doesn't come back to bite us in the butt."

He turned away, his crimson orbs aimed for the hall. It seemed they were trapped inside, where ever that was. Was this place even a jailhouse? They surely didn't know. And they would never know. Footsteps started to cackle from the hall's entrance, and before they knew it, feet were shuffling inside. But they weren't normal. No, they were all Gizoids. Every single last, one of them. Sure, there were a few Noctunus Tribesmen within them, but for the most part, they were surrounded by Gizoids.

Shadow stepped back, with Tikal close to him. That army of Gizoids were stepping forward, ready to destroy the infectious vermin that was the two escapees. This was by far, the most heart stopping of moments. Shadow couldn't just wail on them, like he wanted to. That was an entire army, ready to tear him and his ally limb from limb. Boy, was it terrifying.

Then lasers started flying. Green energy bolts, similar to ones Dr. Finitevus' weapons fired, were flying toward them. Now it was the time to run. Shadow scooped Tikal up in his arms, and dashed off toward the bar sealed window. One blast graced the side of his leg, but he was so hopped up on adrenaline, he didn't even feel it. As that window grew closer and closer, an order suddenly escaped his lips.

"Tikal! Spin dash, now!"

The echidna wanted to question him on his commands, but one near miss energy blast silenced that. She instead shoved her face into his head, and nodded.

Suddenly, Shadow leaped up. In midair, he began to spin. Tikal held closely onto him, and began to spin as well. Faster and faster the twirled, eventually gaining this powerful field around them. And upon reaching the point of greatest velocity, the duo dashed forth. The combined homing attack did exactly what it was supposed to do. They slammed into the bars with this overbearing force, eventually prying it open with their strength. And as soon as they broke free of the window seal, they departed.

They didn't fall far. Instead of hitting solid ground, they landed on this buildings outstretched balcony. That was a good thing. One glance down showed just how far, and how deadly, a drop from this height was.

They got to their feet almost immediately. This was simple. Just leap. Leap down, and the airways would help slow their descent. But could they do it? Attached as they were.

A laser from the window showed that, yes, they had to. Or else.

So, the duo looked at each other. As red eyes gazed into blue eyes, they knew the time was at hand. Through their invisible conversation, they prepared to leap. Time to go.

Tikal leaped first. She felt that wind rush by her, in such new way. The black hedgehog was beside her, his crimson eyes locked onto the rapidly approaching earth. The answer was simple, all they had to do, was float. Hover. Glide. Fly.

Easy right?

Tikal's quills spread open. The air hit her in just the right way, causing her deadly fall to come to a slow descent. That is, until Shadow's body started to thrust her down. She gripped on the chain that held them together, and pulled up on it with all her might. Why hadn't Shadow started gliding yet? He knew how? One look at his face showed why.

He was unconscious.

"SHADOW!" she yelled through the falling wind.

Somehow, the hedgehog heard her call through the falling wind, as his eyes opened up immediately. Upon doing so, he gave a groan, and spread forth his quills. Like Tikal before him, he started to slow his fall, making his position lest dangerous than it would be. Upon doing so, they landed on the top of some steel platform.

It was a safe landing, though a dangerous one. A glare around showed just where they were. A steel complex, with electricity flowing freely throughout. A power plant.

"That was a close one..." Tikal commented, looking up to the tower they just fell from.

"Let's try to not repeat that..." Shadow answered.

As soon as those words left his lips, a groan followed too. He leaned himself against a wall, while Tikal's hands found his shoulder. He wasn't trying to fight her off, as these pained coughs exited his lips. Tikal moved her eyesight down, just to see injuries on his black fur. It didn't take a genius to tell who caused that.

"Shadow... you're hurt..."

"You think?" he snapped back.

"Oh... This was a terrible idea. We must go, Shadow. Look, the moon is still out, we'll be able to sneak out through the cover of night."

"No," he answered, shooting he glare, "We are not leaving!"

"Why?" she asked, and quite loudly at that.

"They have our things," he answered, "My gauntlets, your gloves and jewelery, but most specifically," he raised his hands and shook his hands, "Our bands. They have those."

Tikal locked up. The jewelery was easily replaced, as well as those gauntlets and gloves, but those bands? Those blue bands, that belonged to her mother. The things that held her powers in place. She needed them. And now.

"We have to get them back..." she answered near trance like.

"I know..." the hedgehog answered, "And our only lead... is up there..."

Now he turned to face the building. He was sure their items were inside, all he needed to do, was get it. Hopefully, Dr. Finitevus was here. And once the hedgehog found him, he was going to tear him limb from limb, and gain that from which he stole from him.

"But Shadow," Tikal said, grabbing his hand, "You have to promise me something."

The hedgehog groan. Truly, he didn't want to go through this. He knew that whatever promise she asked, it would not make the job any easier. But if it would make them get a move on...

"What?" he asked.

"Shadow... We're stuck in one of the Nocturnus Tribe's cities, obviously enough. But I don't... I don't want you to..."

"To what?" he questioned.

"Shadow... Starman... I don't want you to kill anyone."

Such a foolish hope. He was not going to say yes to that. It was downright stupid.

"Shadow!"

But her voice. It made his head hurt. He felt the need to appease her, no matter how small it would be.

"I won't promise you that," he answered, "But I'll _try_ to restrain myself."

And that was it. He wasn't going to have anymore of her childishness. If someone lives, they live. If they don't, oh well, no skin of his bones. He wasn't going to sacrifice their survival for anyone elses. Still, the answer he gave the orange echidna, made her smile.

"Now let's get a move on," he ordered, "I don't want to stay here any longer."

The smile of hers left, only to be replaced with a nod. Shadow's ruby eyes scanned the area they were in, and more specifically, the area they would have to go through in order to get to the area they just escaped. Kind of backwards, isn't it?

The noise of running soldiers echoed out, as well as orders. It was going to be, a long, long, night.

* * *

_Trivia Time!_

_Yeah, let's talk some more... and stuff..._

_Anyway, the beginning of this chapter. Yeah, that whole dream sequence. Seems familiar? Well, if you owned a Super Nintendo, and one of the greatest RPGs ever which went on the Super Nintendo, then you know. Maybe. I guess we would have different definitions of greatest. Anyway, that scene was inspired by Chrono Trigger. Yup, that awesome cutscene after the Magus fight, which had everyone scratching their heads and going 'Huh!?' all at the same time. What cutscene am I talking about? Well, I don't wanna say, cause it could ruin it, and I really, like Chrono Trigger. The last thing I wanna do, is ruin anything. Then again, it has been years since its release, and the game has been remade on the PS1 and the DS sooo... Nah... I'm not gonna ruin it. This is the internet, after all, if you want the answer, look somewhere else._

_Oh yeah, and the title of this little Chapter. This is kind of personal, actually. Yeah, you get to learn about me now! Awesome, right? Anyway, along time ago, I had a series of stories I wrote called Mouse Tales. They were about this mouse, duh, named Max. He went on adventures all the time with his friends of the forest, and most of the time, he was just trying to not get eaten. Well, one of those tales, were called Nocturnal Nightmares. It was about Max leaving his little hole one day at night, which was stupid. He ended up having to help this wolf named Reginleaf, who was trying to defect from her clan. When coming up with a title for this chapter, I'm not sure why but, this name just seemed to stick. Funny cause, it doesn't have much nightmares in it at all. And, now that I think about it, I used this chapter name in my other story, Shadows of Hope. I think I used this too much. Granted, the chapter in Shadows of Hope had way more to do with nightmares than this one. Maybe the title just has some sentimental value to me. A call out to my younger self._

_Well, thoughts on the past aside, I hope you enjoyed this. _

_Till the next chapter._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	15. Long, Long, Night

Long, Long, Night

When did it start raining? Shadow wasn't sure. It was all calm one moment, and then the next, this steady and light downpour was upon them. The black and red hedgehog wasn't sure what was worse, the circumstances that surrounded him and his ally, or the fact that he was directly chained to the woman in person.

Tikal was very antsy, much more than he. She constantly darted around ever corner, being sure to investigate everything, no matter how trivial. Sounds earned her eyesight, while mysterious sights gained her undivided attention. She seemed too occupied to notice the wet rain dancing along her fur, and the illness it would surely cause in the future. Whatever the Nocturnus Tribe was about, it had the poor girl terrified. Shadow could only wonder why.

The power plants of the Nocturnus Tribe was maze like to put it likely. One catwalk lead them this way, while another one lead them the exact opposite way. But that isn't the most interesting part of them. To say they were futuristic, would be an understatement. Walking around this cold area made the hedgehog feel as if he were placed back into present day. It just felt so out-of-place. Floating platforms, great looming buildings, lack of grassy fields, Shadow was sure these were things of the modern-day, when in fact, they had existed much longer than he himself existed. Which, somehow reminded Shadow of something.

"How long have we been here?" he asked of his companion.

Tikal looked to him quickly, her face frantic and scared. Though her lips moved to give some sort of answer, words failed to leave her mouth. Shadow wasn't sure what this place was doing to her, but it had her all kinds of messed up. She went from being so strong, to terrified so quickly. She had just become so, so, so.

She needed his comfort.

That was the only way to calm her down, or else it would be extremely difficult to make their way inside to find their things. More importantly, it would be extremely difficult to find a certain albino echidna.

But as they neared a side of a building, stopping to scope the area, Shadow started to wonder. Could he calm Tikal's nerves? To directly soothe one's nerves was not something he was good at. But if he didn't become good at it, immediately, then the chances of success would be substantially lowered.

And he couldn't have that, now could he?

"Tikal, calm down." he whispered, those crimson eyes of his shining through the darkness of night.

"Shhh..." she warned, pushing him forward instead.

The two moved under a catwalk, eventually placing them in a darker atmosphere than before. Above them, lights appeared, lights that came from a flying machine that was just out of view. Those lights scanned the area they once stood on, but because of Tikal's quick thinking, it just missed them. The machine hovered in the area for a little while longer, before making its way off into the distance.

"That was close..." she whispered.

"What was that?" the hedgehog asked, ruby eyes following the machine as it moved away.

"I don't know," she said, "but hunters in our tribe have spoken of those things. They appear out of nowhere with these blinding lights, and the ability to rain upon its foes. They can kill a creäture in no time at all, and... and worst of, those things don't even pray for the animals they kill. They just hunt them, then fly off with its prey, without a second thought..."

"That must irk you..." the hedgehog whispered.

"It does... I can't stand the Nocturnus Tribe and their machinery, Shadow. It's all wrong, just so very wrong!"

"There's more to this than you let on," the hedgehog whispered, "I can't tell what, but it's there... what is it?"

"What are you talking about?" the echidna asked, her blue eyes once again checking the area, "I'm perfectly fine, Starman."

"Stop lying..." he answered, "Something has you out of sync. What is it?"

"Shadow!" she yelled, "There's nothing wrong! Stop saying there is!"

The hedgehog's eyes widened at her sudden bark. Ruby eyes moving about, he quickly used the chain that connected them to pull her in. His arms wrapped around her completely, and he spun around into the darkness. Just overhead, footsteps.

Those Nocturnus grunts on the catwalk scanned the area. Those purple lights on their armored bodies giving off the only light for a while. They scanned everything closely, but upon finding nothing, they started off down the metal floors of the power plant.

Shadow pulled back. His crimson eyes trained on the rapidly disappearing footsteps. Once they left, he gained this anger. He quickly moved his stone gazed down, only to see the top of Tikal's head. She laid her face in his chest, while her grip on him slowly started to increase.

Oh yeah. She was scared.

"Tikal..." he said, that anger of his being placed away, "You have to tell me, what is wrong. You aren't making things any easier."

"I don't like Nocturnus," she answered, "Their machines. Their creations, all of it is evil. These things are against the natures of the gods."

"They aren't," the hedgehog answered, causing her to look at him, "I understand that these things are beyond your understanding, but that doesn't make them evil."

"Yes it does," she answered, "You don't know it, Starman, but I do. I've seen what they do with their weapons, their creations. Maybe it's not their works that are evil, but its evil how they use them. The quicker we are free of this land, the better."

It seemed like a simple answer. The Nocturnus Tribe is an evil faction, with items and creations far beyond the knowledge of the people at the time. Then why couldn't Shadow accept this? There was something Tikal was hiding, something he wanted to know.

But he didn't press on it. He laid his hands at his sides, whilst shifting his attention elsewhere. It would be the opportune time to move, and he was expecting to act upon it. One shake of their bonding chain sent the signal to Tikal, to which she nodded.

Once his foot stepped off on the metal flooring, she made her way to him quickly. She tried to keep her distance away from him, but her body constantly tip toed up to his side. She found herself to be in hand touching distance often, and not because of the chain that bonded the two together.

She suddenly sneezed.

Wiping her finger against her nose, she gazed up to the rain that pelted her constantly. A sudden cackle of thunder echoed over the air, as a streak of lightning danced in the darkened sky. She gripped her shoulder's because of this, and rubbed them in an attempt to hold warmth. Suddenly, those hands were joined by another.

She stared up to Shadow, as his chest laid against her back. The warmth he was giving off cooled her body, while at the same time, causing blood to rush to her cheeks. And yet, the hedgehog never once broke his face of cold indifference. Those crimson eyes of his were forever trained on what was moving, just to protect them. He was just as alert as she was, but his movements were all different. He wasn't frantic. He was completely calm.

She wished she could be more like that.

Their feet finally brought them to a fence. On the other side of the fence, the rest of the city. It appeared to be just as soulless and lifeless as the plant they trekked through. No people roamed the streets. Maybe it was because of the rain, which seemed pretty understandable, but it didn't make things any less eerie.

Shadow didn't care for it, however. His red eyes were ever locked on that building they were held up in. They just needed to hurry.

Gazing up, he looked to a catwalk. He quickly leaped up onto it, and climbed himself up, making sure to do the same for Tikal as well. As the two stood on the elevated ground, Shadow prepared to leap over the fence.

"Can you make that?" he asked, "We will have to leap together..."

"I don't know," she answered, "Gliding in rain is hard for me. The wind can get so turbulent sometimes..."

The hedgehog growled.

"Of course..."

He turned to her slowly, causing her to wilt back. Then his footsteps started closing the already close distance between the two. Suddenly, his hands moved forward. Tikal yelped, as she felt his arm slid below her buttocks, and too her legs, while his other arm slid along side her shoulders. He scooped her up then, and held her bridal style, while his eyes aimed for the fence.

He didn't give a warning, nor did he prepare. The hedgehog just leaped up, and over the fence that held them in. His landing wasn't even a loud one, save for the splashes of the rain slick flooring. Tikal's eyes opened then, and she gazed up upon the hedgehog that held her. Once again, those ruby eyes of his were locked elsewhere, staring off at the building that held their items. It wasn't until Tikal's hand lifted up touch his face, that he looked at her.

"What are you doing?" he questioned, as her tender had slid against his muzzle.

Unfortunately, she had no answer. Pointless babel just exited her lips instead. Maybe he would have said something because of it, but the chance never arrived.

Light. A powerful light. One that could easily blind people, fell atop the two. As Tikal's eyes closed to stave off the pain, Shadow merely gazed up.

A machine. A great machine. Diamond in shape, with these high-beams were aimed on his position. Shadow wasn't sure if he was actually looking at it or not. It appeared to be something after the kin of Eggman, let alone a race of technologically advanced echidnas.

Its funny what these adventures bring him to face.

The hedgehog glared down. Caught, how did that happen? He didn't even hear the machine arrive, it just appeared out of thin air. It must have been following them, that was the only way. That was the least of his problems, however.

Crimson orbs moving down, he saw purple cloaks appear. Those cloaks ran all around them, surrounding the two in a death circle. Some of them removed their hoods, showing Gizoids beneath. But one cloaked being retained their hood. Through the shadows of the cloak, however, the hedgehog could see purple lines.

On any normal day, this would be the point in time where the assailants would ask them to surrender. Just give up, and no harm would come to either he, or his lady friend. But of course, it's never that easy. This just wasn't a normal day.

One of those Gizoids pulled out a weapon. Immediately, the others did as well. Upon doing so, blue lasers were fired. All around these bolts fell upon Shadow's position. However, once they arrived, they hit nothing. The hedgehog dashed down the rain slicked streets, still holding Tikal tightly in his arms. The flying machine above them, forever kept its lights on them. Because of this, those Gizoids never once failed to find their targets. More and more of those blue blasts fell, destroying some of the ground the hedgehog ran along. His great foot work kept him forever protected, though he wasn't sure how much longer this could go one while holding Tikal in his arms.

"Make it stop!" the echidna yelled, "Make it all stop, Starman!"

"I'm trying!" he yelled, dashing behind a construct, "But its kind of hard! Those things have good aims!"

A bullet streaked by his leg, just barely missing him. Shadow growled at this. Never before had he felt so weak. If he had his powers, he would have surely wasted them all with one single Chaos Spear, but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Surely, he would have challenged them with his might, though that wasn't a very smart sounding tactic. And, worst of all, he was still chained to Tikal, who he found to be his greatest worry. No matter what, he was going to keep her protected. This was, after all, his fault. He should have made sure she stayed at the Cielo Isla, at least then she wouldn't be trapped in this hell with him.

"I said, Shadow!" she yelled, "Make it stop!"

"That's not easy, Tikal!" he answered, leaping over a blast, "Those guys have guns, and I have only you."

"Then..." she looked at him, while her body started to glow, "Put me down, Starman. I can help you."

The hedgehog stopped. As those robots made their way upon their position, he looked to this angelic glowing woman in his arms. He had forgotten, honestly. He may not have retained his Chaos Abilities, but that didn't mean she lost hers.

The echidna landed on the ground, while the glow around her body continued to shine. She showed this visible rage on her face, while her hands stretched out.

"CAPTIVE LIGHT!" she roared out.

Her command gave way to a shout, a shout that cleared the entire distance between her and her enemies. And, for a while, that's all it seemed to do.

But then, that machine in the sky fell. It collapsed in the ground, and rippled into a brilliant explosion. Through the flames and rain, the duo gazed upon the Gizoids. They were all frozen in place, not moving in the least bit. Just, silence.

"What did you do?" the hedgehog inquired.

"We have to move soon, Starman," she said, looking to him, "I'm not sure how long that will hold."

Though he wanted to ask her about her ability, he knew the time for moving had come. He shifted his gaze away, and started running once more. Tikal's feet were ever-present behind, but so was someone elses. The hedgehog's eyes moved about the vacant streets, as the footsteps of some invisible assailant came nearer and nearer. Someone else was here, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who.

Shadow leaped back, his sudden movement jerking Tikal alongside with him. As she landed on the wet ground, he landed on his feet, those ruby eyes of his locked on the area they once stood. Something crashed into it. Rain and water was thrown skywards, as their new attacker stared upon them. Tikal staggered to her feet, while Shadow lifted his fists in an attacking position. Before the two, a Nocturnus Tribesmen, in that usual cold armor. The hedgehog was expecting a fight, and for good reason, but to his surprise, his enemy spoke first.

"I see..." she whispered, "So the Starman isn't just some kind of lie."

The hedgehog was caught of guard. He wasn't expecting him or, more correctly, _her_ to speak. But she did.

"And its a hedgehog, no less..."

Odder still, the midnight hedgehog found that voice to be familiar. It didn't make him wilt, though. He retained that hold and powerful demeanor, while adding a growl to it.

"Move!" he ordered, "I don't have time to waste on you!"

"Feisty as well," the Nocturnus woman said, "Interesting..."

"I'm not gonna tell you again," he warned, "Move!"

"Why would I do that?" she questioned, "Look at you hedgehog. Chained together with a fellow inmate, trying your hardest to escape. You made yourself out of the interment house, and yet you wish to return? That doesn't make any sense."

"Our items!" he yelled, "I want them."

"Those have been confiscated," she warned, "What I want to know, is what are Knuckles Tribesmen doing so close to our boundaries! You are supposed to honor the rules you yourselves placed up!"

"We have been!" Tikal yelled out, stepping before Shadow, "We have been honoring each and every rule created between us! Only you and your people have the audacity to break the lines! Hunting on our land, and attacking our Master Emerald with your marauders!"

"Attacking the Master Emerald?" the woman before them repeated, "Foolish Guardian! What business would we have for attacking that useless rock! It means nothing to us!"

That wasn't an answer either of them suspected, but only one could think upon. Shadow laid his hands on his nose, as he began to think about the woman's words. Though he wasn't sure if he could trust Nocturnus Tribesmen, he felt some truth in her words. With all this advanced technology, what business _would_ they have for attacking the Master Emerald? And if they did so, why with Gizoids only? Wouldn't they attack with those flying machines that they use for hunting?

If only Tikal could see that. She was slamming her feet on the ground, stomping in place, while her face scrunched into this angered visage.

"Shut up! Shut up!" she yelled, "I won't let this go on anymore!"

Suddenly, she raised her hands. The storms in the skies started to swirl and swirl, growing in strength.

"FACE HEAVEN'S WRATH!"

The Nocturnus Tribeswoman gazed up. The clouds above her, started to swirl about in a funnel cloud like shape. And from said funnel cloud, a powerful thunderbolt flew out.

And everything was bathed in light.

…

"Shadow... Shadow... Starman, wake up..."

It took him a while to heed those words, for they sounded just so muffled at first. But once her hand laid upon his shoulder, and started to gently shake him, he found the energy to open his eyes.

Those blue orbs of hers stared back, adding to the bright angelic face of hers. Her lips curled up into a smile, while her hand left his side.

"You're finally awake, Starman," she claimed, "I thought you weren't going to wake up for a moment there..."

The hedgehog merely cocked his head at the call of her words, finding it to be odd. And yet, he answered with,

"Why wouldn't I wake up?"

He pulled himself up from the bed sheets on his body. A loud yawn coming from his lips. He gazed down to the echidna before her, who took stepping away. Gone was that tribal wear that he had expected her to wear. Though that white tank top remained, her pants were these cut off jeans, and the jewelery that adorned her body, was all but gone. The only part that remained, was the golden jewel encrusted band on her head.

But around her wrists. One gold band on her left hand, one blue one on her right.

"Shadow," she called, whilst stretching, "Let's get a move on. We have to keep moving."

"Moving?"

"Yeah... Moving," she called, "Nocturnus... I'm sorry..."

"Sorry for what...?" he questioned, not understanding her shift in words.

"My fault..." she answered, sulking down, "It's all my fault..."

…

Sniffles. That's what he heard at first. The sad, slumbering sniffles of a being above him. He felt this pain course through his head, but not one of a battle. No, this was the annoying pain one gains from sleeping a wrong way.

His ruby eyes eventually focused themselves, allowing him to stare up. Above him, caressing his quills in a warm way, while she allowed these tears to fall, was Tikal. He was ready to call out to her but, this warmth lied inside of him. She had dragged him from the rain, and into a darkened ally. Outside, of this alley, he could see many Nocturnus Tribesmen as well as Gizoids run about. That was all immaterial, however. Tikal's soft cries were all that mattered.

"I messed up..." she repeated, "I messed up..."

He looked down to his chest. Her fingers were in his furry white patch, caressing the furs there. He wanted her to stop, honestly. He wanted to tell her to cease her movements. But it felt good. He couldn't remember being touched there like that. It wasn't helping their case, however.

"Tikal..." he called out, pulling himself up.

"Shadow!" she announced, before clamping her hands on her mouth, "Shadow," she started whispering now, "What... I thought..."

"What happened?" he asked, cutting her off.

"I'm sorry," she whispered out, looking away, "I messed up..."

"What happened?" he asked again.

"My attack, Heaven's Justice. I should have known better, the area was too wet. I struck her with that lightning bolt, and ended up striking you as well. I wasn't hurt by it, sense it was my attack but... you, on the other hand..." suddenly, she closed her eyes, while these faint tears started welling, "For a moment there... I thought I killed you..."

Suddenly, he reached forward. His hands wrapped around her body, holding her close. Tikal was caught off guard by the action, for she wasn't expected such an act from Shadow. She found her arms wrapping around him too, as the sadness inside her started to move out.

She couldn't believe it, he was hugging her.

No... He wasn't.

A light moved above them a moment later. Had he not moved forward, surely, they would have been spotted by the flying machine. She couldn't help but to feel there was more to it, however. She felt like some parts of this hug was, genuine. Like he _wanted _to hug her.

"Tikal," he whispered pulling back, "Are you okay?"

Gazing into his ruby eyes, she felt this fiery warmth resonate from him. It made her feel safe.

"I'm fine, Starman," she whispered, gripping one of her quills, "And I'm sorry..."

"There's nothing to be sorry about," he stated, grabbing that hand that stroked her quills, "I'm alive, aren't I?"

She nodded, while this sweetest of smiles came to her lips. Now, though, it was time to move.

Shadow stood up, and the chain around his wrist brought Tikal to her feet as well. Glaring up, he saw the tall, overbearing building that possibly held their items. He glanced over to Tikal, for he knew her echidna sense could probably pick up the location of the items. Fortunately enough, they did. She pointed to an air duct that was attached to the side of the building. While she started climbing toward it, Shadow scanned the area around them. Eventually finding everything clear, he followed the nubile girl inside.

…

"Down here," she said, drawing attention to the area below them.

His ruby eyes gazed through the silver vents of the air duct. Below them, a storage house. The mere sight of it made Shadow groan inwardly. These places were always the pits, and he was sure that would hold true, even in the past. But if Tikal said their items were in here, he'd have no choice but to search through them.

He glanced up to her. Those cerulean eyes of hers were shining back. She was holding sadness within them, he could tell. When one is Shadow the hedgehog, reading emotions becomes and easy thing. She was still torn up about electrocuting him earlier. He tried to assure her it was okay, and for a moment there, she accepted it, but not really. She was holding back how she truly felt. Once again, he felt the need to calm her. If not for his peace of mind, then for the mission at hand.

"Tikal," he said, laying his hand on her's, "Are you okay?"

She nodded, but her eyes glanced off. The mere action made him tense up a bit. He took her hand in his hand, and brought it up to his chest. She watched in astonishment, as he laid her hand upon his heart. Spreading out those fingers of hers, he gave her this stone glare, hoping that this would assure her of his safety.

"Feel that?" he asked, "That's my heart beating. I'm not dead..."

And oh boy could she feel his heart beat. With each thump, it spiked into her hand, affirming that yes, he was alive. Not only that, it proved something else.

He had a heart.

"Now, are you ready to go?" he asked, laying her hand back onto the ground.

"Yes, Starman," she answered, "And... I'm sorry..."

"Enough apologizing," he whispered, "You've done nothing wrong, okay?"

His hands reached down to the vent covering their exit. Being very meticulous in his movements, he snapped those bars off their hinges. His actions were silent surprisingly, showing he had done something of this nature before. Maybe it was just future training, Tikal would never know.

He pulled the opening up, and laid it into the air duct. Looking to Tikal, he brought up his head and whispered something into Tikal's ear. She nodded to his idea, and slowly dipped her feet out of the opening. Using the chain, he kept her suspended in the air, while also moving around in a clockwise fashion. Though Tikal shivered a bit, showing the area was cold, she still nodded to confirm there was nothing there. The hedgehog nodded likewise, before sliding out of the opening as well.

The two landed on the top of a container, where they were free from prying eyes. Upon landing, the also heard footsteps in the far distance. Surely, Gizoids, or worse, Nocturnus Tribesmen were here, so they had to be quick with their antics.

Shadow looked to Tikal, who pointed off in the distance. Once again, she took head point, running silently over the metallic containers. They cleared over a good few containers, before arriving at one on the east side of the building. She stopped immediately, and pointed her finger toward an opening on the topside. Shadow nodded, and his hands reached forward.

Fingers sliding beneath, he pulled up and up, eventually prying open this opening. Inside of this container, gold. Lots of gold. And jewels as well. Shadow couldn't help but to chuckle at the sight of it. If Rouge was here, she would have lost it.

"All this gold was taken surely by the Nocturnus tribe, during the skirmishes we used to have years ago. Our things are inside here," she claimed, "Somewhere..."

"Don't worry," he whispered, "It shouldn't take to long."

Silently, he reached inside, digging through various pieces of golds and other things. Tikal kept her eyes peeled on everything else, as to make sure the coast was clear. But minutes of digging, and taking looks at Tikal, caused the hedgehog to ask something.

"How do you do that?" he asked.

"Do what, Starman?" she questioned.

"That... sense, you have. Where you can feel things?"

"Well, I tracked this down thanks to Chaos Energy but... all echidnas have this ability," she suddenly smirked, "Why? Is that something else you wish to learn."

"It's a valuable technique," he answered, "I wouldn't mind knowing it. I can sense things such as Chaos Energy but... not other things."

"It's a lot easier than you think, Starman," she whispered whilst giggling, "Maybe, when this is all said and done, I can teach you how to use it."

She heard him groan.

"I've been learning too much things from you..."

Suddenly, his hand pulled up. A smile laid upon his lips, while he waved about the items he procured from the great container. The gauntlets, Tikal's gloves, the blue bands, and his inhibitor rings, they all lay inside.

Tikal's face brightened up at the sight of her mother's blue bands. Quickly, she slipped one on, but stopped just before she slipped on the other. Her eyes moved over to Shadow then. He was looking at her. His indifferent visage was offset by her stunned one. On his wrist, one golden band, while in his hand, the busted ring that she had grown to wear. There was no need for him to use her blue band now. His Chaos Energy was all but gone, so he could put on his busted inhibitor ring, and it would continue doing nothing. But, Tikal _wanted_ that ring around her wrists. She felt naked without it, honestly. As if, it _needed_ to be placed back on her wrist. And odder still, she was sure he was the same way. She just looked at him, as he looked back.

Her hand reached forward. His hand reached forward. Graciously, they traded the rings. Now his busted inhibitor ring lay in her hand, while her shining blue one lay in his. And they slipped them on at the same time.

Silence.

"Intruders!"

Shadow shot up to his feet first, his ruby eyes alert.

All around them, on the metallic floors, Gizoids ran. Every single one in the immediate area arrived at that instant, while more were surely coming as well. It didn't take long, before the floors below them were filled with an orange color scheme.

"Perfect." Shadow said sarcastically, as their Gizoid guns aimed up at them.

He immediately ducked away, holding on to Tikal as he did so. Seconds later, those lasers started flying. They pelted the canister below them, causing it to quake. Shadow started growling, as his fists started to shake. This wasn't what he was expecting.

"Shadow!" Tikal called, "What do we do? They have us surrounded!"

The hedgehog didn't have a clue. He couldn't leap down in fight them, which was what he would have done, had he been at full strength. He also wasn't going to lead Tikal into danger, not as they were chained up like this. But what else were they to do? They couldn't escape, the area was surrounded, and they couldn't fight back. All they could do was surrender. But Shadow was sure, if they surrendered, they'd be dead men. Easy as that.

So, what to do, what to do?

"Shadow!" Tikal cried out, "What do we do?"

"You'll have to get us out of here!" he answered.

"What do you mean? I can't fight them, not in here!" she retorted.

"I'm not say we fight," he answered, "I'm saying, we run."

"But how? There's no way to escape!"

"Not entirely," he whispered, he got closer to her, "Tikal, I've taught you how to spin dash, right?"

She nodded.

"Then let me teach you something else.

His eyes closed shut. Chest moving up and down, she realized he was going to do something out of his barrier.

"I'm going to teach you Chaos Control."

She cocked her head. Chaos Control? She couldn't help but to ask.

"What is that?"

"If done correctly," he stated, "We'll be out of here in no time."

"And if done... incorrectly?"

"I don't know," he answered, "I've never messed up before."

"Great," she said, gazing down, "So how do we do it?"

"Usually, one needs a Chaos Emerald to make this work. But you don't. Your connection to the Chaos Force is stronger than you know, Tikal. If anyone could get us out of here, you can."

"Then how do I do it!" she asked.

"Just focus," he whispered, "Think on a way out of here. You have to think your hardest too, or else it won't work. You need to visualize the place you want to go to." a sudden laser bolt made him stop, "Now would be great."

"I... I think I have it!" she answered.

"Good!" another laser bolt, this one a near miss to his leg, "Then get us out of here! You need to focus all of that Chaos Energy inside of you, and make that image a reality!"

"How!?" she pleaded.

Suddenly, he grabbed her. That face of his was so serious, as he eyed the lasers raining upon their position. Tikal sulked deeper into his embrace, as her eyes closed. Her heart rate started to slow, and her breathing regulated itself.

Somehow. It worked. She didn't understand why, nor would she ever understand why, but it worked.

"Chaos... Control..."

Her body started to shine. Brighter, and brighter, eventually becoming blinding to any and all. And the light on her started to expand, eventually absorbing both she and Shadow. The lasers died out. The storage house died out. Everything, faded away, to nothing.

…

"There's more to you and the Nocturnus Tribe than you let on, Tikal... what is it?"

"I shouldn't tell you, Starman. Its wrong. My father would have you killed if he found out."

"Then he won't. What is the Nocturnus Tribe to you? They are more than just some rival tribe. You actually... _hate _them, don't you."

"I... I never said that..."

"But you know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

"..."

"Tikal..."

"Okay... Okay... Shadow, please, don't tell anyone. Not a soul, okay?"

"I'm all ears..."

"There were things, I didn't tell you about my mother, okay? Akna... She was much different from the other echidnas in our tribe. You see, Master Emerald Guardians are usually born into the role, but it's always been said that we don't choose the guardian, the Master Emerald chooses its own guardian. That's when my mother came into play. She's... not of the Knuckles Tribe, you see? My mother... she was apart of the Nocturnus Tribe first. You see, a long time ago, our tribes weren't battling. Sure, we had our usual skirmishes over land and animals, but we didn't hate each other. Not like now. It's commonly believed my mother was the cause of the acceleration. My grandmother used to say, that Akna was a glitch. That's what Nocturnus Tribesmen call those who aren't... _right_. Glitches... And boy, was she a glitch. Akna was more Knuckles Tribe than she was Nocturnus. She couldn't stand the technology the Nocturnus Tribe made, she'd rather do everything with her hands. And one day, on a hunt in which she left her group, my mother saw a clan of Knuckles Tribesmen. They were hunting, the natural way. Fighting those animals with their bare hands, and not with weapons or machines. And among them, was my father. My mother fell in love with my father, and he vice-versa. The two would constantly run off from their clans together and one day... my mother just never returned. She stayed with the Knuckles Tribe, and somehow became the Master Emerald Guardian. She was our greatest trophy at the time. Showing that the natural way, was better than the cold and robotic way the Nocturnus do things. That was, until..."

"The attack on the Master Emerald?"

"Yeah... you remember... I told you. The man who attacked the Master Emerald that day was of the Nocturnus Tribe. And that's when things changed. Once my father became the chief, he grew to hate the Nocturnus Tribe even more than before. He blamed them for the death of my mother, even though my grandmother told him it was of natural causes. But he wouldn't accept it. To him, Akna was too strong to be bested by mere illnesses. And honestly, I agree with him. I've never met my mother, of course, but I've always been told she's a strong woman. Anyway, my father made it a law, that none could speak of my mother's Nocturnus upbringing. Those who did, would be killed. No exceptions. Death. History was thus rewritten, describing my mother as always being a Knuckles Tribesmen. Once my grandmother died, most people forgot about her ever being with Nocturnus. Ever."

"Is that why you dislike Nocturnus? Do you see them as the murderers of your mother? The mother you never got to know? Or is there more? Is there something about your Nocturnus blood, that just drives you up a wall, huh? You love the earth so much, you can't stand the thought of being like, _them_."

"Please... stop..."

Her begging was well accepted.

Shadow leaned up from the flowers of this field. Tikal's Chaos Control brought them here, to the field which she loves so much. Honestly, Shadow wasn't surprised. What did surprise him, was how long he stayed there, laying beside the angelic girl, their hands intertwined. He would never understand how she got him to do that, or why it took him so long to notice it, or why he continued to hold her hand, even now. He was just accepting it, of course.

"I'm sorry," she stated again, "I really am."

"There's nothing to be sorry about," he answered, "I was the one who decided to go to the Nocturnus Tribe. I was the one who started this wild goose chase." he closed his eyes, "I'm the one who should be apologizing."

"No," she said, leaning up, "I understand, Shadow," her hand laid upon his shoulder, "You... you're stuck in the past. Away from friends and family, with no idea how to get home. You're... alone... I can relate. Ever since grandmother died, I always felt alone too. I..." she suddenly chuckled, "I feel like we're a lot alike. We both are... alone..."

Ultimately, her chest laid upon his back. Her fingers started to groove into his fur, as this tired and exhausted expression took them. Alone. Two beings in this world who were alone. Shadow wasn't sure if he believed her words, but he sure did accept them. Maybe it was just feeling her body against his, or how she dug her faced into his shoulder. Maybe it was those fingers, that caressed his chest, and slowly brought him forward. Maybe it was when he looked at her while she looked back, and their noses were in such close proximity, they touched.

Or maybe.

Just maybe.

Maybe.

It could be.

No one is saying for sure but.

It was probably her lips. Those soft, tender, lips, that he touched upon with his own.

* * *

_Maverick Talks_

_Yup, its the fun point in time in which I describe crap!_

_Long, Long, Night. And what a night it was. This is a long as heck chapter. It might be my longest, honestly. I need to check that up. And just the way it ends. I know you all were waiting for Tikal and Shadow to kiss, I did keep jerking the chain ever since chapter 8, Fun & Games, so yeah. For those who wanted it, there you go. Sorry the chapter ended like this, but it was just so perfect. So, you'll have to wait till the next Chapter for things to move along.  
_

_Now, the interesting stuff! This chapter is, surprisingly, inspired by the stage in Perfect Dark, Chicago Stealth. I don't know why, but when trying to capture the atmosphere of the raining, dark, and nighttime city, I just thought about that stage. For those who don't know, Chicago Stealth has you roaming through Chicago (duh), trying to sneak into this building. Its an evil stage on the higher difficulties, and the hunter killer bot is a giant jack ass! He has like shields and stuff, and just guns you down the moment you pop up! Not to mention the guards who pop up ever, single, second! And the FBI dudes who call in more FBI dudes! The stage makes my blood boil! But I digress, you wanna hear about the story, not my Perfect Dark playing. Anyway, I tried to make things seem dark, and foreboding at least until they got into the building. And honestly, I think I nailed that, especially as they snuck through the power plant. I wish I could make that section longer, but this chapter is already long, so yeah. Oh yeah, I was also inspired a bit by Neo Koopa City, from Mario Kart 7. It's like, my favorite stage in that game._

_And that whole thing about Tikal being alone. You can all argue that Tikal isn't alone, I mean, she has Chaos who's she is friends with, but its more than that. Other than Chaos, she really doesn't have many friends. Her father is the chief, so that turns people away for free, and to add to that, she can't stand her father and his violent ways. So, in all honesty, Chaos is her only friend. Plus, the alone thing has a double meaning. When it comes to Sonic couples, I always wondered why people shacked Shadow up with Tikal. But writing this story, I actually understood why. I mean, look at it this way, Sonic has Amy, Knuckles has Rouge, Silver has Blaze, and even Tails has Cream (granted, I think people only like those two together cause their kids but, whatever), but who does Shadow have? Maria's dead, and I tend to dislike stories that bring her back as a hedgehog. It happens a lot, I'm sorry you guys, really. But back to my original argument, Shadow doesn't have anybody. And guess what, nor does Tikal. She's all alone in that giant green rock, except with Chaos, who probably doesn't have much to say or think about these days. I mean, they are the only two characters with no one to call their own, so yeah. Think about it. Plus, I just sorta like these two, I don't know why._

_Oh yeah, and those dreams. I don't know why, but when thinking up modern Tikal, I find myself giving her a southern accent. I haven't the slightest clue why. Whatever. By the by, can one of you explain to me what's up with Chapter 12, Starlight? I don't know why but, that chapter is getting views and visitors like no ones business? Do you guys like reading about Akna or something? Just a question._

_Remember, you can only understand the future, by looking upon the past._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	16. Angels and Demons

Angels and Demons

It wasn't a long kiss. It wasn't a passionate one. It wasn't a kiss that would go down as something lovers would do. It was just a kiss. Lips upon lips, simple. As simple as a kiss could be, perhaps. It wasn't abnormally long, though it wasn't extremely short.

But through this simple kiss, something new was born. Something they've never felt before. Something just plain _different_.

Tikal pulled away first. This audible 'mmfwap' escaped the air between the two, as she broke this kiss. Her eyes remained close for such a while, as she continued to imagine his lips pressed to hers. That feeling. Never before, had she felt a feeling, a _touch_ like that. It surprised her. Shadow the hedgehog. The Starman. A heart stopping, stone cold, indifferent, demon of a man, had lips so soft, so tender. It were things like this, a kiss, the sight of him after he crashed down, how flustered he gets thanks to custom differences, that reminded the nubile princess that he was, after all, mortal. No matter how amazing he could be.

How amazing.

And then it hit her. It hit her like a ton of bricks. It hit her so hard.

She sprang up to her toes. Those blue eyes of hers rocketed open in order to see the hedgehog she had just kissed. The chain that connected the two together caused her to inadvertently bring Shadow up as well. That was decision she started to regret immediately.

His crimson eyes snapped open, and in the nighttime sky, his orbs were the only light she saw. She wanted to run away from them. She wanted to run so far away. But that damned chain that connected them wouldn't allow that to happen. She tugged, she pulled, she yanked on it, and absolutely nothing happened. Even as she turned away, and her feet started moving, she went nowhere. A gaze back revealed why.

The Starman, he just stood there, gazing at her. Not saying anything, not doing anything, and quite possibly, not even thinking anything. He was like a portrait, a statue. All he did, was stare at her, and all she could do, was stare back.

She pulled on that chain a few times. He didn't budge in the slightest. She started to tear up, but for reason she knew not why. Once again, he remained as still as could be. She released the grip she held on her chain, it was fruitless. She couldn't escape him, not with this chain here. And not after what they had done. So, she stopped. And just gazed away.

Who was going to speak first? Who was going to say the first words? Who was going to start what they knew would have to start soon?

"I'm sorry," it was her then, "I am so, so, sorry, Starman. This was wrong of me. That was wrong of me."

So still, and so silent, he remained. It was hard for Tikal to tell if he were actually listening or not. It made her feel stupid, like she was talking to a stone wall. Regardless, she persisted, as if trying to quell some unknown beast.

"Shadow, please, forgive me. I wasn't right in what I did," she started to tear up again. Why did this have her so stirred up inside? "Please, Shadow, say something. Don't look at me like that, I beg of you!"

I beg of you. I beg of you.

_I beg of you_.

She knew she said something then. That phrase, it made his eyes shine even brighter. His eyebrows, they moved down, in a visible scowl, showing just how angry he was. It made her lock it, it froze each and every muscle in her body. She was sure she had done it then. This was it. The Starman was going to show that evil side of his. She had been a nuisance throughout all of this, causing him one disappointment after another. And now, he was going to erase her for it.

His hands gripped her bare shoulders. She closed her eyes in preparation, but for what, she didn't want to know. She heard growling. This angry, haggard growling. Surely it was his, for who else would it be? They were the only ones in this area at this time. She felt his fingers tighten on her shoulders.

And then she felt the air escape her.

Her eyes opened up. His eyes were closed, though that angered scowl remained. But those lips of his. They were pressed on tightly to hers, taking all the air she had. She needed to focus, or else she would faint from this. Fortunately, he pulled back, and the grip he held on her shoulders released themselves.

He started growling again. Tikal was left confused. Why had he kissed her, and then pulled back, showing this rage? Was he planning some other demented form of torture? Or was it worse? Could he be planning something beyond her wildest nightmares? The myriad of thoughts that stormed her mind, confused her greatly, for she really did not know what he would do. She just wanted him to go away, honestly. Leave her, so she could be alone with these confusing thoughts.

"Do you hate me?"

Her question was born from pure randomness, for even she did not know why she uttered such things. But the inquiry was made, so all she had to do now, was sit and wait. Sit. And wait. Sit. And. Wait.

This was burning her, on the inside. She needed to know. She needed to know if he hated her or not. She wanted, neigh, she _pleaded_, _begged_ even. And all of this served to remind her of those magic words. That one simple phrase, that made Shadow kiss her, and growl whilst doing it.

Tikal didn't know what was worse. The anticipation for his answer, the feelings swelling up inside her, or the fact that she so desperately wanted to kiss him again. It made her feel sick, and wrong, and terrible, and evil, so different from the shining example of purity she was.

Surely, the hedgehog was evil. He was a monster, a demon of a man. For only demons could corrupt people as he did her. She had done nothing wrong, and yet she felt like she did do something wrong. To kiss him, to enjoy the kiss, and to want more of it. It stained that which she held. It was staining her.

"I don't hate you..."

His answer. It made her heart flutter. She brought her eyes back up to him, just to see those ruby orbs gazing back. Somehow, all those thoughts of him being a demon flowed away. All of it just stopped mattering. A demon wouldn't say that.

So here they were. In this field of flowers. After sharing a kiss that they themselves initiated. And all they could think about right now, was what now? It was funny, really. The two wanted to blame something, namely each other, but they just couldn't do. Because they knew. They knew that, deep down inside, they wanted that kiss to happen. Of course they wouldn't admit it, they had their pride, their values, but it was true.

They wanted each other.

"So what now?" Tikal asked, gazing away.

She would never get her answer.

The black and red hedgehog straightened up, his fists tightening. Tikal wondered what he was planning on doing now, praying it wasn't something negative. She watched his arms cross over one another, as he often did, while his eyesight peered over the edge of the plateau. He stood like that for little over a minute, before shifting his attention back to her. Shaking the chain that connected them, she sent a signal over to Tikal saying to get moving. She didn't fight back against the order, she just stood.

He started moving then, his feet bringing him away. She started walking as well, seeing as neither could move very far if the other didn't want too. But her distance was well separated, being the total length the chain would allow. She didn't want to be near him. She really, really, didn't want to be. The sooner this chain came off, the better.

Their feet brought them away from the plateau, and down the mountain side that held it. Still in silence, the two were, not wishing to start something new, and awkward, between them. Or, that's what Tikal believed. She merely stared at Shadow with her shimmering blue eyes, wondering what he was thinking about. Did he think of the kiss in the same way she thought about the kiss? Or was he like other men? Did he just see the kiss as nothing more than a mere action? Though she knew better, she couldn't help but to see it as that. As much as she knew Shadow, she felt she didn't know him. He was just a mysterious man, with mysterious customs.

And something about that attracted her, though, she knew not why? She's said it before, or perhaps, thought it before, and she'll do so again. Just who is, Shadow the hedgehog. And why did she feel so weird around him? And why did she feel the need, to walk up close to him, intertwined her hands with his, and hold it tightly. It was wrong, of course, wrong of her to think such things. She's an angel, someone who should remain pure. The thought had always held in her mind, but as of late, she found it to be slowly, and constantly, floating away. As if, the title of angel, was no longer needed for her. In fact.

She grabbed a hold of his hand. So easily, her slender hands, slid in between his. For the next few steps, she gazed at the sight of her hand lying connected to his. So perfect, she couldn't help but think. Her eyes trekked up a few moments later, settling on the image of the dark hedgehog. At any moment, she waited for him to snap at her, tell her to let go. But that moment never came. She walked up to his side then, just to get a look at his face. And as usual, his ruby eyes were trained forward. For a while, Tikal wondered if she actually was holding onto his hand. But she was. So why was he acting distant? And why was that pushing her forward? She got the need to get closer to him, and so she did. His eyes closed for a brief second, before opening up once again. And like last time, he said nothing about her sudden invasion of personal space. What could she do next? Would he mind if she? Slipped her arm through his?

Maybe he didn't notice it, or understand it, but she did. That kiss, it started something, something she couldn't wait to figure out.

So she did it. She slid her arm right in between his. He stopped almost immediately.

His head turned to her, but in the slowest manner possible. Those ruby eyes of his, the ones that were always on fire, peered directly into her confused soul. She stopped her amorous was that instant, as she appeared frozen by his gaze. He wiggled his arm for a bit, eventually breaking it free from the girl's grasp, then continued his way down. Tikal stood for a second, as she thought on her own actions. Yeah, that was stupid of her, she knew that. Maybe, it was best, to be away from him, for a while. He looked, different from usual. His unhappy demeanor seemed extra potent this evening.

What did that kiss do to them?

"Listen Shadow, please," she said, "I want to talk about this."

He stopped.

She figured he would honor her words, and actually talk about things. But he didn't. What he had in store, was much, much, worst.

"Cielo Isla..." she whispered.

They were outside the city walls, but the image was all the same. Fire, fire everywhere, dancing on the walls, and dancing within the buildings. What was happening?

…

He laid on the side of the staircase. His powerful hand was clasped tightly on his bleeding wound. The visage on his face, instead of being pain, was one of haggard rage. It didn't take long for this powerful echidna to get to his toes, and once he did, he aimed that spear in his hands toward the approaching enemy. Up, and up, and up the staircase, the being before him moved. The lips on his muzzle turned down in a frown, while his golden orbs locked squarely on his injured opponent.

"Pachacamac, Pachacamac," he stated over and over again, "How disappointed I am with you."

The Tribal chief showed only anger, however, as he prepared for yet another attack. The grip on his spear increasing, he stepped threateningly toward the albino echidna before him. This movement made the Dr. sigh with indifference, as he pulled out a strange, silver glove from his cloak.

"Don't, Pachacamac. I'll kill you."

"What business do you and the Nocturnus Tribe have with us, Finitevus!?" the chief roared back.

"Nocturnus?" Finitevus repeated, chuckling at the call, "Oh, you poor, poor fool, Pachacamac. Go ahead, continue thinking on your accusations. I'll just enjoy killing you."

The silver glove on the albino's hand started to shake, as this crazy yellow energy started to course through it. Finitevus smirked, while his hand jutted forward. It shook, and shook, before reaching its threshold.

"Oh yes," he whispered, lips curling into a smile, "Good bye, Pachacamac. Oh! And say hello to sister for me? I'm sure she would love to know I said, hi!"

"DAMN YOU FINITEVUS!"

"You knew this day was coming, Pachacamac," Finitevus stated, getting close, "Ever since Akna died, this day was due."

"That stupid belief of yours," Pachacamac yelled, "Enerjak can't be contained in no mortal body! It's impossible!"

"You aged fool," Finitevus answered, "You spend all day, protecting the Chaos Emeralds, and yet you don't understand the powers they hold! I can make a body hold Enerjak! It's possible!"

Closer and closer, he got to the echidna chief. He raised his that silver glove on his hand, and caused it to exude power through it.

"Now all I have to do," he whispered to the chieftain, "Is get that pretty little niece of mind. She'll make the perfect Enerjak, is what I'm trying to say."

"You will not, lay a finger, on Tikal."

"Ah, showing fatherly love? Its unfortunate she will never know your valiant efforts." he stood tall, "Goodbye, Pachacamac."

The time had come. He thrusted forth his hand, and from the palm of this silver glove, fired out a blast of pure energy. The yellow strike flew forward like a being made of electricity. There was no way Pachacamac would have been able to dodge it. And yet, like the warrior he is, he showed no fear. Instead, he ran up to the blast, whilst roaring this battle cried. Surely, he would be killed.

But the gods were shining upon him that day.

A black and orange streak dashed by. The midnight being's arm struck away the blast, sending it careening into the sky. Everything grew silent at that moment, as Pachacamac stood back, and so did Finitevus. First, all the chief could focus on, was the Starman, but then his eyes moved over to his daughter, the girl held cradled at the hedgehog's side.

"Tikal!" he called out.

"Ah! Starman!" Finitevus said, growing a grin, "You've finally returned! I have been waiting for your arrival."

Shadow's crimson eyes squinted, his eyesight increasing.

"And you've brought young Tikal," the Dr. added, "Good, good. I enjoy that..."

"Shadow," Tikal whispered, gaining his eyes, "What is he talking to you about."

"He's mad," the hedgehog answered, "And now, he's dead."

"I'm dead?" Finitevus said, that silver glove in his hand pulsing with power, "Do you not remember who holds the power in this land?"

"Me," the hedgehog answered, "And always me." suddenly his rage grew, as he stomped forward, "What have you done to this place!?"

Something in the city fell, thanks in part to the flames. Tikal suddenly jerked herself forward, as she tried to run off for the city walls. But the hedgehog she was chained to held her in place, finding it safer if she stayed with him.

"I see," Finitevus whispered, "So... You paid a visit to the Nocturnus tribe. Only they could make a chain out of titanium like that. How quaint. Were you looking for me, hedgehog?"

Shadow remained silent.

"I guess that explains the poor state of defense for the city," Finitevus continued, "No Master Emerald Guardian, and no gift from the gods that is the Starman. But now, you are both here, helping me with most of my job."

"I can't believe you!" Tikal yelled, "How dare you attack our city like this!?"

"I needed the Emeralds," Finitevus whispered, "Plus the city was unguarded so... why would I _not_ take this opportunity?"

"This isn't right!" she yelled, "Why are you here!? What have we done for you to attack us like this!?"

"It's unfortunate how I must treat these things," the doctor answered, "Always through-" he suddenly lunged forward, "FORCE!"

His silver hand latched onto Tikal. And suddenly, she began feeling weak. Finitevus gained a monstrous grin, that was until Shadow's hand wrapped onto his face. His eyes snapped to the hedgehog, just to see an angered expression gazing back.

"Let... GO!"

Suddenly, his grip increased. Finitevus felt his head being _crushed_ by the might of the hedgehog. If he didn't let go, he would surely be killed. So, releasing the grip he held on Tikal, he vanished in a flash of light.

That instant, Tikal fell back, her eyes closing shut. Fortunately, Shadow's arms were there. He gripped onto her, holding above the ground.

"Tikal," he called, "Tikal! Are you okay?"

"Starman," she answered, tired at that, "I don't feet to good..."

She felt so frail in his arms, so weak. It made Shadow glare away. His red eyes darted to and fro, searching valiantly for that albino echidna who caused all of this.

"It didn't have to end this way between us, Shadow," he heard him yell through the air, "You could have helped me. I could have sent you home."

"I have no need to help you!" the hedgehog roared back, "I don't care if I'm stuck here forever! I would never help someone like you."

This sadistic chuckle echoed about, causing Shadow's skin to tingle.

"Suit yourself, _Starman_..."

The echoing died out. There was no more Finitevus, for all he knew, for the sounds of his call died out. The hedgehog didn't know what to do. So, he looked down. Tikal appeared to be alright. Through her unconsciousness, she started to snuggle up closer to him.

"Starman..." she whispered, faintly.

"Tikal," he answered, shaking her lightly, "Tikal... Tikal!"

"I'm so tired," she responded, "I think... I'll go to sleep right now..."

He didn't try to fight it off. He knew what that hand could do to a person, so he understood the need. But more and more, she snuggled up into him, eventually, loosing herself in rest as she gret exhausted.

Silence.

Slowly, the black and red hedgehog stood from his kneeling position, holding Tikal up as he did so. She still found safety in his grasp, even though she had already lost consciousness.

"Where have you been?" a low voice echoed from behind.

The hedgehog turned around. Leaning on the Emerald Altar steps, was the chieftain himself. He looked angry enough, though the hedgehog wasn't sure if it was from the assault on his city, or the wound on his body. Shadow was sure though, it had to deal with the city.

"Pachacamac," he called, "You're injured."

"It will heal," he answered, growing angry with his words, "But that doesn't matter. Where were you and my daughter, Starman?"

Now the hedgehog felt angry. He could tell when he was being distrusted, it didn't take a genius to tell that. Just the look in Pachacamac's eye said it all. To be honest, he should have assured him of his daughter's protection in his arms. But he didn't. Turning around, he started for the city. He was sure there were people who needed saving, or at least, fires that needed quelling. And hopefully, a certain metal worker would be among them, ready to take this chain from his hand.

"Starman! Where are you going!?" Pachacamac called.

"I recommend you find a doctor, Chief," the hedgehog answered, "That wound on your body can't possibly be good."

He heard the chief yell back obscenities, but he ignored him completely. Right now, all that mattered, was the girl in his arms.

His hand laid upon the large stone doors. With a mighty push, he forced them open, sending a loud crack through everything. His ruby eyes moved about the city then. Fire was everywhere, along with the cloaked bodies. He came near one, and crouched down. Sliding away the hood, he saw a golden orange body gazing back. Gizoids. The echidnas must have fought harder than Finitevus thought, for the dead bodies of Gizoids lied everywhere. The hedgehog was impressed, though these machines appeared to be grunts, akin to the ones the Nocturnus tribe had, not high leveled ones such as Emerl, or the one that attacked him in the cove. Regardless, of their strength and prowess, it must have taken everything the echidnas had to stop them. Or maybe Shadow wasn't giving them the respect they were due.

"Starman!" a voice called from behind.

The hedgehog spun around, meeting the blue eyes of a certain, yet slightly injured, red fox. Millikan almost leaped into his arms that instant, but the sight of Tikal in his arms calmed him down. She opened her mouth to ask a question, but thought it was wise not too.

"Starman," she said inside, "Why did this happen?"

He merely shrugged.

"Bring me to Bicab," he answered, "I have something that needs to be taken care of."

She merely nodded.

…

"So... Bicab... tell me what happened."

The clash of the hammer against the chain made him look away, though his question remained. One glance up to the older echidna showed this confused expression. It seemed Bicab himself didn't know.

"Well," he answered, regardless, "I'm not sure. It was just earlier this day. Maybe it was a good think you and Tikal here left, because things just weren't right. First it was that... albino echidna. He showed up out of nowhere, bringing an army of those Gizoids with him. The next thing I know, we're fighting them. That echidna-"

"Finitevus," Shadow answered, "His name is Finitevus..."

"Yes, well, Finitevus... He wanted the Emeralds. We fought him off for a good moment, that but we just couldn't do it. For every Gizoid we stopped, another would take its place. But we just kept fighting. Protecting the Master Emerald, that's every echidna's duty. Anyway, we fought and fought and fought, until that blasted, uhh... Finitevus guy, decided things just weren't simple enough. He shifted his Gizoids to the city, and started attacking their too. There's one thing to attack able-bodied men, but children, and elders? That's just dishonorable. So, we took the fight to the city, battling them to protect our land. But it was all a ruse, of course. Finitevus still wanted the Emeralds. But ya'know, we echidnas always have a secret weapon. Most of us don't even know he exists, but if you're old like me, or just nice like Tikal here, then you know he exists..."

"Chaos..." Shadow answered.

"Aye... Chaos... He took three of those Chaos Emeralds, Millikan would tell you, she saw it with her own eyes, he became this creäture, and fought off most of those Gizoids, and even battled Finitevus. But that albino was a tricky one. He fired something, this green blast from this weapon I've never seen before. Made Chaos exploded right on the spot. Fortunately, he took those three Emeralds with him, keeping them safe for now. Finitevus must have cut his losses there, cause he took the remaining four with him on his escape."

Suddenly, the echidna raised his hammer as high as he could go. With a grunt, and a mighty thrust, he slammed it against the titanium bracelet. There was an audible snap, as Shadow felt this release of weight. He gazed down to the shackle, finding it unhooked from his wrist. Not only that, but the chain was broken in two. The hedgehog raised his hand, while his eyes moved over to Tikal. Despite the heat index in this room, she appeared to be just as silent as before. It made Shadow's heart tug for some reason.

"I recommend you take her to her bed, Starman," Bicab said from behind, "She looks like she could use the rest."

"Thank you Bicab, for releasing the chains and..." he frowned, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" the metal worker inquired.

"For not being here. If I was here, I doubt any of the Emeralds would have been taken."

"Eh, maybe," Bicab answered, "Maybe not. If there's one thing I've learned from living, is that you can't sweat on the past. That's the past, ya'know? And 'if' is only a word." suddenly, he let out a sigh, showing just how exhausted he was, "Boy, I'm going to need this rest."

He waved goodbye to the Starman, and Shadow did likewise. Sliding his hands under Tikal, he lifted her up, and started for the door. In the past few hours, the echidnas had done well to tend to their city. The fires were cleaned out, and the injured were being taken well care of. Shadow was quite surprise by all of this. When dealing with a certain red echidna from his time, its hard to find these people so social and loving of their fellow Mobian. Somehow, the thought of caring for his fellow Mobian, made him trek his eyes down. Tikal remained silent in his arms, not stirring in the least bit. Sure, every now and then, she would twitch, but for the most part, she was so still. And Shadow didn't like it.

He should have brought her to her room. That's what Bicab said, and honestly, he'd wish for bed too. But it just didn't _feel_ right. Instead of taking her to her home, where surely he would be chastise by Pachacamac, he instead made his way to the Altar. It didn't take long for him to arrive, or maybe he just wasn't paying attention to the passage of time. Whatever the case may be, he was here now, near the Master Emerald. He looked down into one of the ponds, and saw green orbs staring back. The water rippled briefly, surely that was a sign from Chaos. Suddenly, three Emeralds arose from the ponds. Shadow smiled briefly at the sight. For now, he would leave them. They would be better suited in the water god's hands, not his own.

He finally arrived to the stone floors that held the Master Emerald. Turning around, he faced a column, that held up the open ceiling. He crouched down near the construct, and propped Tikal alongside it. As soon as he laid her down, she started to shiver, much to Shadow's ire. So, in order to calm her, he dragged his hand briefly along the side of her cheek, ruffling the quills on her head. Somehow, that calmed her down, for that visage on her face faded away.

"Starman..." she inadvertently whispered.

The hedgehog didn't answer her call. Instead, he shifted his attention to something needing it. He walked closer, and closer to the Master Emerald, and laid his back upon it. Crossing his arms, he trained those crimson eyes of his over to the city.

And so, he began waiting. For what exactly? He wasn't even sure.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_So, we've had our little fun and stuff, right? Did you all enjoy this chapter? I'm not sure why, but I enjoyed it. Whenever I try to right, I try to balance things out with some good plot development, and character development. Me personally, however, I enjoy character development. Ya'know, we live, we learn. No one stays the same after any experience for we all have some kind of change from it, no matter how small._

_But enough that, I know you all probably don't care much for it. Any way, this chapter. Clearly, I focused on character development with this (though I am sowing the seeds for the future). I primarily wanted to focus on Shadow. Its easy writing about Tikal (which is a lie) but whenever I write about Shadow, I feel like I have a lot of eyes on me. Yeah, its like fans are staring down my neck. Heck, even myself, for I try to keep him in character. Granted, I try to keep everyone in character. Listen, I'm a fan too, I like it when everything makes sense and what not. But I digress. What I'm trying to say is, it's hard for me to write such loving stuff with Shadow, because he's just so not loving. I mean, yeah, he can love, it's easy, but he's very robotic about it. And that's what I tried to capture. Something like caring for Tikal, is hard for him, because he doesn't enjoy these feelings. But we all need it. You know what I'm talking about._

_Anyway, I think I've rambled on enough already. Time for me to wait for the next chapter. But the better question is, can you?_

_Oh yeah, epic Chaos 3 battle happened off screen. Yeah, I'm sorry._

_You know who my favorite Zelda character is? Saria. Yeah. Saria._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	17. Tribal Dance

Tribal Dance

Fingers. That's what she felt. Fingers. Gliding through her individual orange dreads. Those fingers. While at the same time they felt powerful, they felt soft, tender, loving, even. It made her eyes open, and open ever so slowly. She was surrounded by darkness, but, this light existed near her. Truly, this was an inexplicable position, and yet, she asked no questions. She just gazed up, in order to see the blinding figure holding her. To her surprise, she saw this strong woman gazing back, smiling. And even though she had never met this woman before, she knew exactly who she was.

For you see, only a mother could treat someone with such tender love and kindness.

She tried to touch this woman back, she tried to ask her a question, but it just wasn't allowed. The closer her hand moved up to this woman, the farther away she seemed to move. It was a strange notion, one she couldn't possibly hope to understand. And yet this woman continued to smile, while her powerful fingers glided through the younger one's quills. Finally, the nubile princess gave up on trying to touch this woman. She just allowed her eyes to close, so this woman could do to her what she pleased. Those arms of said woman slowly wrapped around her shoulders, and brought her in close.

It was the greatest hug she'd ever had.

…

"Mother..." her lips let out.

Cerulean eyes finally opened. Above her, shining morning skies. She lifted her hand up to her mouth, and let out a warm gasp. The stirring yawn did more for her that she anticipated, as her eyesight finally returned from its blurry nature. She peered down to her feet, and saw her toes sticking out from the open footed sandals. Her vision moved next to her hands, seeing them move with every individual digit.

Her mind was a blur. She could barely remember the preceding night, seeing faded images at best. All she could think about, was the flower field, escaping Nocuturnus and.

Shadow's lips.

Her eyesight sharpened, as she remembered what had happened last night. Finitevus, the attack on the city, when he grabbed her.

When he grabbed her with that, silver hand.

Her feet brought her to a standing position. Those blue orbs of hers looked over to the great shining jewel in her midst. With this fearful approach, she stepped toward the great jewel. Nothing, she wasn't feeling anything. Once again, her feet brought her closer. Still, nothing, not a thing. Now she stood before it. Her hands reached forward, and touched the great side of it.

Nothing. Zip. Nada.

There was no Chaos feeding from the hide of the rock. No power, no energy, no nothing. She couldn't feel it.

Her hands fell to her side. For the longest time, she gazed at the rock that peered into her soul. And she could still feel nothing. There was no energy flowing from the Emerald, or at least, no energy she could feel. For some reason, she couldn't accept this. Raising her hands, she brought them up to her face, so her eyes could stare directly at them.

This faded out silence took her. Fingers twitching with feverish fear, her face started to bend into this saddened curl. Eyebrows lowered, lips turned into a frown, muzzle grew frail and weak. She just couldn't believe it. For so long they were with her, and now, now.

"They're gone..." she whispered to herself, "All gone..."

That's it. She failed. She failed her people, her city, the gods. There was no way she could protect the Master Emerald now, not without her powers. Not when she was so weak. Not like this.

"Frrrrmph..."

She brought her eyes up. The call came from seemingly thin air. Hands moving up, she dragged one through her hair, and the other against her tearing eyes. Those sandal clad feet of hers moved to the side, as she listened out for another slumbering call. Eventually, her eyes came to the side of the Starman.

He sat perched. Eyes close, arms crossed, back against the Emerald, as he looked like a guardian. In fact, he could have easily passed as the Master Emerald Guardian. He appeared to be doing a better job of it than she ever could. Just how he looked. So poise, so stern, so ready. Even in his sleep, he appeared to be a force beyond that of battle.

Surely, he should be feared, but she didn't fear him. Just the sight of him, sleeping like this while at the same time, prepared, made her feel so inadequate. What was he doing? Was this not her job? Was protecting the Master Emerald her born right? Then what was he doing?

And why did she not care?

She got to her knees near the hedgehog, and scooted ever so closer. He didn't toil in his rest, though a tense grunt escaped his lips. She brought herself closer, and closer to him, before resting her head on his shoulder. He still didn't toil, and it made her wonder just how heavy a sleeper he was.

For some reason, she felt safe right now. Calm, and even a bit happy. Being near him. She wrapped her arms around him, and hugged him close. Finally, a rise was gained out of him, by way of a groan. She didn't care though, she just continue to rub her face into his shoulder. He was the only one who could possibly understand how she was feeling, so once he finally awoke, she felt as if no words were needed. She just continued to bury her face in his shoulder, and eventually, the side of his cheek. It was wrong, she understood that. Deep down inside, she was waiting for him to push her off, and scold her for it. But he never did. Instead, his hand met her shoulder, and he began to brush it slowly.

"They're gone..." she whispered finally, "All gone..."

"I know..." he answered.

Her eyes closed shut. Those tears of her's began to spill. At first, they were silent, but then, they became sobs. Her body jolted up and down, as she constantly choked and moaned with this new-found sadness. It was like a loss of self. All her life, she was one with Chaos. An advent of power, a connection to the gods. The only mortal in the entire world with the abilities to manipulate Chaos. Much like her mother.

And now it was gone. All gone. As if they never existed. She couldn't feel it, and she didn't like it. All her life, she felt that power within her, thriving, like a being that was alive. And to have it taken away from her so easily, so quickly, it was like she was violated. Violated by something she didn't understand.

"Why me?" she questioned, digging her face closer, as she searched for his safety, "Why did this have to happen to me?"

The answer she was waiting for never came. At least, not in the way she expected.

Slowly, he turned to her. Her eyes remained close, until his hands met her face. Slowly, and without pleasure, her eyes opened. He gazed upon those big blue eyes, as he noticed this soulful vigor reflect within them. The unhappy face, that looked back at him. It pained him, in all honesty. He didn't want to look at her when she had that unhappy face on. The bright and sunny warmth it usual gave off, wasn't there right now. Instead, this hopeless depression was. He got an idea on how to calm her. How to bring her back to that warming demeanor. It didn't please him that he had to do it, but he would regardless.

Besides. She _begged_ him to do it. And he couldn't say no to those words.

He gripped the back of Tikal's head. She winced at the feeling, as she felt her head move forward. But to her surprise, she felt his lips pressed up against hers. Her eyes closed shut, and grew tighter with every second, as if she was trying to drown out the light within. This kiss lasted for a good moment or two, but to the nubile princess it was forever. Eventually, he brought his head back, ending the kiss he himself started. She opened her eyes a moment later, and gazed upon those crimson orbs.

He said nothing, though his hands moved back into that familiar cross. She hated that. What amazing power did he posses, where a kiss was nothing but an act to him? Was it not a signal of love? A message two people give, when they care deeply for one another? She, as painful as it is to say, had feelings for him. She cared for him as well. A kindred spirit with no one to call their own. But what did he feel? Did he retain the same feelings of love and care? Or was she just another girl to him? The kiss may have brought her thoughts away from her powers, but it only made her think of something else.

"Do you love me?"

He was gazing away when she asked, but those words brought his glare back. She felt tense from the sight, as her soul felt constricted by his domineering gaze. Somehow, that one powerful gaze, made her regret ever uttering those words. But she did, and here was the aftermath. All she could do, was wait.

"No..." he answered.

If it was possible to explain this silence, it would have to be, vortex like. He turned away in such a slow way, Tikal thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. Just like usual, he crossed his arms in a manner he could easily call his own. No words came to him nor did any come to her. She just looked at him.

And her heart started racing.

"What... do you mean?" she questioned, straightening up.

"Its easy," he answered, eyes closing, "I don't love you."

"How could you say that?" she questioned, "After... everything, after that..." she sulked, "After that kiss...?"

"What about the kiss?" he answered, indifferent as usual.

"It was a kiss!" she barked out.

"I think you've read to deeply into it, Tikal," he answered, glancing into her increasingly saddened gaze, "The only reason why I kissed you, was so you could calm down. I wish I didn't have to do so, but I did..."

"No," she murmured, "No! It's more than that! Starman!"

"To you, maybe," he answered, standing tall, "But not to me. A kiss, is just a kiss, after all."

The most unfortunate thing about all of this was, Tikal saw it coming. She had already thought to herself, what if the Starman thought nothing of the kiss. And now here he was, confirming her suspicions. But it didn't make things easier. In all honesty, it made everything worse. Much, much worse. She felt her heart race in her chest, as if it wanted to tear through. But in reality, it was sending a message to her eyes. A message that caused her to spring forth those walls holding her tears. She let them flow, flow alongside her sobs, and snorts of snot. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to be there. She didn't want to be anywhere! She just wanted to be alone.

She glared down to her feet. And at that moment, she forgot where she was. She raised her hands, let out a monstrous roar, then slammed her fists down into the white brick flooring. The strike sent a powerful ripple through the earth, triggering a miniature earthquake. Though she was surprised by her own strength, that did nothing to alleviate the emotions she was currently feeling.

She brought her blue gaze up. The hedgehog was looking at the small crater she created, before shifting his vision up to her. That indifferent visage. Damn that visage.

"I... hate... you..." she whispered, her voice so soulless.

Those words would have never, in a million years, left her life. But that hedgehog could make her feel emotions she never wanted to feel, emotions she never wanted to know. And one of them, was hatred.

Her feet brought her away seconds later. Those sandal clad feet of hers causing trembles with each individual step. And once she arrived at the stone doors that led into Cielo Isla, she forced it open with one hand only.

For the next moment, silence, before the noise of the stone doors closing echoed about. And then, that silence returned. The hedgehog stood at the edge of the stairs, with that usual nonchalant stare. If he was feeling anything from her outburst, he sure as hell wasn't showing it. That was, until, he lifted his blue band.

The azure object reflected sunlight from the sky. It caused him to gaze to it. He felt this shift in emotions, as he gazed down upon it. His crimson orbs took in the sight of the glistening object, while his chest started to pulse. At first, he didn't notice it, until the feeling increased. Over and over again, his heart started to pound. To him, that only met one thing.

He was being watched.

With a quick movement, he spun around. Nothing back there. He turned back to face the stairs. Once again, nothing. He didn't like how things were going. He was not enjoying this silence he was being treated with. Someone else was here. He checked on of the ponds around the Master Emerald, seeing only sleeping Chao, and Chaos green orbs staring back. But it wasn't Chaos that had him tense, it was someone else.

His feet brought him down the staircase. Those crimson eyes looked left and right, as he searched for the intruder. Finally, his feet landed on the stone walkway to the ground, where he stopped all together. That's when his nuisance revealed himself.

"Mighty fine way to treat women, Starman..."

The hedgehog's eyes squinted, as he turned around to face the speaker.

"I was waiting for you to wake up," Ticab said, arms crossed, "Ya'know. Cause you promised me you would teach me how to do that spin dash of yours."

Shadow gave a low, nearly inaudible sigh, as his eyes closed slowly. He had forgotten all about that.

"But after what I saw," Ticab continued, "I'm not sure I want to."

That gained the hedgehog's eyes.

"How could you treat Tikal like that," he asked, "She's a good girl."

"What are you talking about?" the hedgehog inquired, knowing full well what he was speaking of.

"Don't play that way with me," Ticab stated, "Tikal's fragile, you know that? And what you just did, it was so... cruel..."

"I'm not going to sit here and be chastise by you," Shadow stated, arms crossing, "If you want to learn how to spin dash, then you can stay. If not, get out of here, I have a rock to protect..."

The hedgehog's body turned around so he could face the staircase once again. He walked only a few feet, before Ticab's hand met his chest.

"I can't do that, Starman," he said, causing the hedgehog's eyebrow to raise, "You're the guest of honor, Starman. We're having a certain kind of dance today."

Now Shadow was really confused. He didn't want to press on the subject any further, though he knew he had to. A dance. Of dear Lord.

"What... kind of dance...?"

"One to ask a favor of the gods," Ticab answered, "As you can tell, four of the seven Chaos Emeralds were taken. Its time we pray to the gods for their deliverance back. And seeing as you are a gift from the gods, its only wise that we bring you."

Shadow's eyes squinted.

…

Back in the Chao Ruins once again, and things were just as they were as the last time.

She stomped through the crushed ruins, her individual footsteps causing cracks in the earth. Whenever she saw the sight of something, or if anything came in her path, she was sure to destroy it with a punch. Eventually, the land was filled with boulders, rocks, and pebbles, the outcome of all that came her way. She was so infuriated, she didn't care who saw her. In fact, she didn't care about a lot of things. Not the land, not her people, not the gods, and definitely, not the Starman.

Maybe thinking about the Starman wasn't a good idea, for it only made her angry. Once again, she lifted her hands, and brought them down in a quick, yet powerful movement. Unlike the Emerald Altar, the land around her was very unstable. Her strike easily crushed the land around her, triggering a wave of pure power to ripple throughout everything. Constructs in a seven yard radius around her were all decimated, with only the strongest of which remaining barely recognizable.

Such wanton destruction. It wasn't something she enjoyed. In fact, she hated. But she didn't care. Because the Starman, Shadow the hedgehog, made her feel this way. And it pissed her off.

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHH HHHHHHHHHHH!" she let out against the wind, as that was the only thing that could explain her current feelings.

"Tikal!" she heard a voice call out, "Tikal!"

The orange echidna gazed down to the earth around her. The call made her stop her tirade, but only briefly. Once again, she raised her arms, ready to bring them down in an earth-shattering blow. But the call repeated itself.

"Tikal! Tikal!"

It made her mind twitch, and eventually, she gazed back up. There was nothing there, so her rage returned, but only briefly.

"Tikal!" that voice, "Tikal..."

She closed her eyes, and shook her head. Raising her arm, she brought it against her eyes, in order to wipe out this fervent rage within her. It didn't work, but it did make her stable enough to talk.

"Millikan?" she called out, rage still inside.

From behind a fallen column, the red furred fox appeared. Her large blue eyes looking at the nubile princess, she appeared to be deeply terrified. Surely the work of the orange one herself. But Tikal didn't care. She just wanted to know why she was being interrupted.

"Tikal..." she repeated, "Are you... okay...?"

The echidna would neither confirm nor deny this. She just stared.

"Well," the fox continued, gazing down, "I was... sent to come find you..."

"Why...?" Tikal inquired.

"Dance of the Phoenix," Millikan answered, "You know what I'm talking about... Then again," she suddenly smiled, surely to lift the tension in the air, "You know all the dances, don't you?"

Tikal looked away, and licked her lips. She didn't want to go. If she did, then there was a one hundred percent chance Shadow would be there, and she would allow no such thing. She didn't want to see him. She wanted to go away.

"I'm not going." she answered.

At first, Millikan wasn't sure if she heard it. Once she did, however, she leaped forward with this terrified visage.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"I'm not going..."

"Tikal, what's gotten into you!?" Millikan questioned, "We have to do that dance!"

"You can do it without me!" Tikal answered, gazing away, "I'm not going!"

"Tikal, what, uh, but you see, Tikal!"

She started babbling and babbling now, and eventually, the echidna drowned the red fox out. Her eyes closed shut tightly, while her fingers found her temples. She pressed them tightly, as if this could make the image of the Starman leave her. It didn't of course. He was still there, accept that evil visage had returned.

"Tikal, you are important!" Millikan finally said, breaking the echidna's thoughts.

"What are you talking about?" she inquired.

"As the Master Emerald Guardian, and... the being with the only connection to the Chaos Force, you are needed. The priest said the Dance will be perfected, if you dance with the-"

"Don't... you... finish it..." Tikal interrupted, "Don't you dare, finish it, Millikan."

The red fox grew as silent as could be, as even her tail fell to the ground. Looking up to Tikal, she tried to hold back this fear. It didn't work, and it made Tikal feel horrible. Millikan didn't deserve this rage, _he_ did.

"I'm... sorry, Millikan," she said, voice returning to its natural state, "I'm just so angry..."

"Why?" Millikan inquired.

"That Starman," she answered, "He... he..."

"I think he likes you..." Millikan suddenly blurted out.

The orange echidna gazed up to her. Feeling as if she let out a massive secret, the red fox thus turned around. She didn't get far, before Tikal's hand met her shoulder.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I spoke out of term," Millikan answered with a forced smile, "I'm just going to... move away..."

"Millikan!" Tikal barked, "Tell me! What do you mean?"

The fox turned to her, face to face. Tikal's angered expression had now become one of desperate curiosity. She really, wanted to know.

"Millikan, please... what do you mean?"

"It was last night," the fox answered, "He was carrying you, when he arrived to Bicab. He wanted to remove the chain holding you two. When he came, however, he was so adamant on keeping you in hold. It wasn't until he got inside, that he released the grip on you. Even when Ticab offered his help, the Starman didn't want to let you go. He kept his eyes on you all throughout. I... think he likes you, Tikal."

"I... don't believe you..." she answered, much to Millikan's surprise.

Maybe it was wrong of her to say that. It was true that Millikan could be a mischievous one, and lying came with her traits, but that was the truth if Tikal ever heard it. She just didn't _want_ to believe it. If Shadow cared for her, then why did he say he didn't love her before? Was he playing hard to get? That wasn't apart of his personality, so she tossed that out. Then why? Why did he want to be alone?

Why did he want to be alone?

Her arms slumped forward. He _didn't_ want to be alone. But that is the only way he knew how to act. The only way he knew how to thrive.

He only _knew_ how to be alone.

Much like she did.

"I apologize, Millikan," she stated with a deep sigh, "I've just been on edge this morning..."

"I understand," the fox answered, "The attack from last night has me jumpy too. I had so many nightmares last night... What did you dream about...?"

"My mother..." Tikal answered.

"Guardian Akna? I wish I could have met her. I heard she was so awesome..."

"C'mon Millikan," Tikal said, waving away her words, "Let's go. We have a dance to perform."

…

Darkness. Darkness here. Darkness there. Darkness everywhere. That's what he was surrounded in. No one was saying anything him. They just put him in this, ridiculous clothing, and disappeared. Right before they turned off the lights, err, candles.

He just waited. Waited for what though, he wasn't sure. Seconds faded into seconds, minutes into minutes, and eventually, hours to hours. He would have left by now, and asked around what was going on, had the priest not made it so dire that he stayed. And stayed he did. Waiting, for this Dance of the Phoenix. What was going to happen, he didn't know, he would have to see.

And finally light. It was dimmed however, and artificial. Not from the sun that had led him inside. The wall in front of him was slowly starting to split, showing that it wasn't actually a wall. Shadow first tried to drown out the light, in order to see further. Beyond all of it, was stars, on a dark blanket. It was night already. How long had he been sitting there?

Regardless, he peered back down. The wall split open farther and farther, with each second, the only noise coming to him, the sound of a turning gear. It didn't take long for them to open up completely, but it sure did feel like an eternity. All that was immaterial, however. Now, it was the time.

Shadow's gazed down to himself. These hakama pants, which honestly were out-of-place here, lied on his legs. A flame pattern was stitched at the bottom, obviously to appease to the Phoenix within the dance. Bandages were all strategically placed on his body, despite the fact that they were unnecessary. Still, to appease to their gods, it seemed.

He moved his eyes up. This road in the city of Cielo Isla, was so pristine and clean. It could easily trick someone into believing there was no battle, the earlier night. On each side of this long road, were echidnas. All dressed in their Sunday best, of course. Those silky white robes that represented purity, and honor, all of course to please the gods.

Shadow peered up and down the walls of the buildings. Torches were lit all up everywhere, burning as bright as could be. Shadow wasn't sure when it would end, or to describe it better, when the dancing would begin.

Drums started strumming. Soon, it seemed.

He leaned back in his chair. This great, gold encrusted chair, with jewels adorned within it. Funny, that only made him think about a certain bat. Anyway, back to that dance.

He peered into the streets once more. Waiting, waiting for all of this to go by. When was this going to start? When was this going to end? He both wanted to know, and didn't. Dances. Why did such things exist? This wasn't the first time he had these thoughts, in all honesty.

But it would definitely be the most interesting.

Even beyond the drums, he could hear those footsteps get closer and closer. It gained his eyes, and caused him to glare forward. It was so light at first, but the closer they got, the louder they got. Until finally.

Millikan stood before him, wearing a long white gown. She gave a courteous bow, along with a smile. But it wasn't her footsteps he heard. She quickly flailed up this white sheet she had, constricting Shadow's view for a quick second. The fox then twirled away, and disappeared into the many rows of echidnas. What replaced him made him lean back.

Tikal was there. Gazing to the earth before her. She was wearing clothes exactly like his. Red hakama pants with a fiery imprint, along with these bandages that covered various areas around her body, namely her chest. The only difference Shadow could spot, was that this white cloak lied around her shoulders. But it proved to be useless, as the nubile princess slowly dropped the garb from her shoulders. Next was her gloves, which she dropped to the earth, and finally, the sandals at her feet. She stepped forward then, and some other echidnas ran up to remove the clothing she just dropped.

Silent. Everything with silent. The fire, the drums, the people, everything. Tikal took a bow, and Shadow closed his eyes.

Then her foot took a step. Forward. He heard it. It made his ears twitch, though his eyes remained close. Tikal took another step forward. Just like last time, the noise was sent out. Could anyone else hear it, or only he? Shadow didn't know. Once again, a footstep forward but, with a swoosh of the air added in. The hedgehog's crimson eyes final opened. And Tikal was there. Before him. Eyes closed, in this pose. Arms out, reminiscent of a bird.

Was this still to appease some Phoenix? Did the echidnas even worship the flaming bird of self resurrection? Or was he thinking to deeply into things? Did it matter? No, seriously, did it matter. Because he felt as if things didn't once Tikal started swaying her hips.

This wasn't so seductive as one may believe, for everything was just so well choreographed. Her hands reached up into the sky, and she twisted them around one another, taking a form as if she were stretching. But she wasn't. Her head tipped back, and gazed up to those flames that surrounded everything. Everything stopped for a while, as Shadow released he was on the edge of his seat. Quite literally, too. He immediately straightened himself up, as he realized what was going on.

Tikal separated her arms from one another. Once again, she stretched them out, in that very bird like T-pose. She took a step forward then, very quickly. The next one, was extremely slowly. The one that followed, was of course quick again, but this one was followed by a hop. That hop, went into a spin. Tikal twirled around and around, and with each interval, each spin, she got closer and closer. Before Shadow knew it, the nubile princess was directly in front of him. And the drums stopped.

Her hand reached out. Shadow leaned back, while his eyes transformed into pure confusion. Tikal's face never wavered though, she just kept her hand out. Shadow didn't know he had to dance, and no one said anything about it. That sure did piss him off.

But Tikal didn't care. She gave an invisible signal to Shadow, saying 'Take my hand.' And for some reason, he did.

He gripped her hand with a most tender touch. For a brief moment, he saw her smile. All around them, those echidnas on the sides started to find their mates. And they started dancing. But Shadow and Tikal, they just stared at each other. He enter her beautiful blue eyes. And she into his fiery red ones.

Angels and Demons, they were.

Finally, she pulled him forward. These two beings, wearing the clothing of Phoenixes, grew into this small couplet. Her hands traveled up to his shoulders, where she gripped them with a hand so tender. And his hands, they traveled down her sides to her waist, where they gripped her there. Still locked onto each others eyes they were, as if nothing else mattered.

Two beings who were alone.

Their eyes closed.

"No one told me I had to dance." the hedgehog whispered, but so lowly, only she could hear it.

"I know..." she answered, just as lowly as he did., "I think its best that way."

"Why...?" he inquired.

"Would you have come... if you knew you had to dance with me?"

They started moving together. Her foot back, and his foot moved forward to match it. Such simple movements, but it didn't matter. She moved to the right, and he moved to the left, once again. Her lips curled into a smile on her muzzle, for even though her eyes were closed, she still could feel his movements being in-sync with her's. They were perfect together.

"Who taught you how to dance, Starman?" she asked.

"Maria did," he answered, "Years ago. I disliked it so much but... she said one day I would have to. For that special someone of mine..."

The orange echidna gave a quick frown, while the grip on his shoulders increased.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, finding it out of character. She was expecting a name at best.

"I don't know," he answered, "I can't explain it."

Her frown grew, as she thought on his words. He seemed to be caught in a trance, as if he would answer any question she posed, and without hesitation or lies.

"Then, tell me," she whispered, "Do you love me?"

There was silence. Maybe the trance was broken. But feeling his hands increase on her hips told her otherwise.

"I heard you say," he whispered, "That I make you feel... _good_. I've never heard someone say about that. Most people fear me, detest me... _hate_ me. And I thought you would to. We're so different, you and I."

"So you don't?" she answered.

He brought his head forward, and rubbed it against hers. Briefly, she felt his lips move near her ear.

"You make me feel good too..."

Her eyes opened. And so did his.

It was like they were caught red-handed, in this web of feelings and truths. The culprits were themselves and each other.

This was wrong. So very wrong. They shouldn't have been doing this. She was an angel a pure young woman. He was a demon, so tainted by the world and his actions. She was loved by all, looked up to by all, as a symbol of anglicism. He was feared and hated, looked down upon, as a sign of the devil. Then why were they together? Why were they in each others arms? Obviously, there was more than just this dance floating between them. There was so much more.

He closed his eyes, and so did she. They moved in closer to one another. This wasn't apart of the dance, but they could careless about the dance now. She pressed her lips against hers. But that wasn't all he wanted. That wasn't all she wanted. They both wanted more. More of this, more of each other. His tongue slithered into her mouth, meeting hers. She didn't mean to, but the feeling and taste of his pink muscle, touching hers, made her moan out.

That was the end. The end of her purity.

…

Stop. That's what she was screaming out in her mind. With each touch, with each movement, she screamed it out louder and louder. His naked hand, with those claws, would drag up her thigh, meeting the edge of the pants she wore. Stop it! She would scream inwardly, but not outwardly. Outside, she was saying,

"Ahhh..."

As his hand played with the strands on her pants, his mouth laid on her shoulder, where his teeth lightly grazed against her skin. More and more moans were garnered from the touch, which would push him further forward. As her pants slide down further to her ankles, the grip she held on his body increased. He could feel her hands dig into his shoulder, and that only egged him on more.

She heard him growl, and those same growls mixed with the waterfall they lied near. Those growls. She wanted to hear more of them. She gave him back that bite from earlier, tenderly touching upon his neck, with her teeth. That garnered her more growls, while his grip increased on her waist. She felt those claws of his, slide into her waist, but the pain wasn't there. She was sure if they drew blood, she wouldn't feel it. It was like, the pain was being replaced with pleasure. That's all she was feeling. Everything he did, every touch he gave, it caused pleasure to run through it.

Why? What was happening to her, and why did she like it? Why did she continue? If she wanted it to stop, like her mind said, then why did she match every movement of his, with one of her own? Why did she moan so much, or why did she _want_ to hear him growl? If this was as wrong, as her mind made it out to be, why didn't she leave? Why did she allow this to continue?

Because for once in her life. She felt truly, and without denying, loved. He was loving her in a way she never felt before, a way she couldn't even _conceive_ before. This wasn't something angels did. This wasn't something she did. All of it was so wrong. But she didn't care.

Because she was loved.

…

"This is so wrong..." her lips said.

Her blue eyes were trained on the lakeside, as the waterfall sent this misty white steam skyward. She let out a warm sigh from her lips, as her eyebrows moved down. To her, she had failed. Failed to live up to that level of purity that she was. She had partaken in something wrong, and out of wedlock, no less. People like her, were looked down upon in their society, seen as something less than heavenly. Something wrong.

Their clothes, the garbs of the Phoenix, was casted to the side. They weren't wearing them. They were wearing nothing. Not their gloves, or sandals, or anything. The only items that remained, were the bands on their wrists. The bands that connected them together.

"What did you do to me, Shadow?" she inquired, as her hands fell atop his. He was holding her, after all.

"I've done nothing to you," he answered, "I didn't do anything you didn't want. You wanted this..."

She glanced up to him. That demonic, nonchalant visage of his was still there. Gazing back, as normal. Did he not understand what they had just done? Or did he not care? No, he did care, more than she could understand, because they both didn't understand. This, this new feeling that was moving through them.

He was right though. He didn't do anything she didn't want him to do, and she wanted him to do _everything_. So, she closed her eyes, and nodded. Their lips met quickly, before she turned away. In unison, they gazed off at the falling water before them. They would sleep here tonight, in each others arms. What tomorrow would bring, they did not know. They would just have to wait and see.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_You see what I did? The chapter title? Yeah, I just title dropped you. Score me._

_Anyway, another long chapter. At least, that's what I think. I think I need to stop this. Make a few four thousand paged ones after this. Then again, all the long chapters have important details in them, do they not? You tell me. But enough chapter length._

_I suppose you weren't expecting this to happen, did you? I was building everything up to this moment though, so you can't say it came out of left field. When I write love, I write love! I make you wait for it! I don't just want it to happen, unless it's like a sequel or something. I already got Tikal to admit her feelings as far back as Chapter 9. Its funny that it took Shadow all the way till now to admit his. But hey, that's who he is. And ya'know what, he didn't even fully admit his feelings, did he? Sure, you can say he did, but at the same time you can say he didn't. Shadow wouldn't say 'I love you' not so soon at least. I don't know why, the thought of him saying it weirds me out, ya'know. Unless its been built up to it. Anyone who read my Shadows of series, know what I'm talking about, but now I digress._

_Also, the dance. The name of my story actually comes from a Shadow x Tikal fan drawing online. Whenever I write something, I usually looked to fan images to get me moving. I don't know why, I guess you can say it inspires me, that and the reviews. As you can suspect, my iPod is filled with fan drawings of Shadow and Tikal right now. Heck, I look at them when I write this. But back to my original words. This story, was inspired by the drawing Tribal Dance by Called1-for-Jesus. I don't know why, I just remembered seeing it one day, and getting the need to write this story. To be honest though, I was always a Shadow and Tikal fan. I got into it when I first found the magics of the internet, and I learned I wasn't the only person who played way to many games! I'm rambling now, so I'll just stop._

_And more about the dance. Oddly enough, I found it really hard to write about dancing. That's why the scene is so short. How do you make praise dances? That's... going to forever haunt me. And the clothing Shadow and Tikal were forced to wear. You wouldn't know this in anyway, so I'll just tell you. The fiery hakama pants and bandages on their body, is actually an homage to a character of mine. Her name was Paradox and she was, you guessed it, a Phoenix. That's all I'm going to say on her, just in case I ever get the need to write about her._

_Oh boy. I hope you enjoy this. I need to get myself something sugary now._

_Across the galaxy it has come to this! Face to face, tooth to claw! Yeeeeeessssssss!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	18. Wait and See

Wait and See

His own face looked different. He could tell. No matter how many times he scowled, or how indifferent that visage of his would get, he just thought it was different.

Shadow the hedgehog, the Starman, gazed at his own reflection. He didn't know what was happening to him, or why he had these feelings, but he didn't like it. The morning sun lied just over the horizon, sending a wave of colors to spread along the skies. Reds, oranges, purples, blues, fuchsias, just a myriad of colors, some he couldn't even describe. The lake he stood by only added to this. The water was so pristine and clear, it reflected the skies better than any mirror could. It was like the heavens themselves, were in the waters below. On any other day, he would have taken the time out to enjoy the sight, but not today. The sight of his reflection, just irked him.

Behind, the nubile princess still slept. He propped her up near a tree, as delicately as he possibly could. She stirred a bit as he did so, but for the most part, she remained silent. That was good for him, because he honestly didn't want to face her this morning. Not after what they did. Not after last night.

He crouched down to the lake's side, and laid his hand into it. The sight of his claws scratching the surface of the water embedding itself in his mind. His hand curled and uncurled within the lake, and he watched it with his very analyzing eyes. The sharp angled blades on it, the extremely dark fur, the red stripe that ended at the very end of hand. Just hours ago, it was gliding along a certain female's body. Touching all the curves and smooths of her body, ruffling her dreads, bringing her pleasure. His eyes moved past his hand then, and gazed back into his reflection. He stood up tall again, and laid his fists down to his sides. The image of him like that, all erect and poise, it made him feel like the demon he was recognized for. And that, that only made him think of the angel he supposedly tainted.

Tikal had taken to a curled position, as the lack of his warmth made her cold. He could hear here murmur something in her sleep, a call that caused him to walk forward. His naked feet felt every blade of grass, as he walked forward. The feeling of those green blades, bending against his toes, grooving in between them, made his eyes glance down. He couldn't remember the last time he felt such a feeling.

"Shadow..." she whispered.

What was this feeling he had going through him? She was just babbling in her sleep, obviously. Then why did it make him feel so different? Why did _it_ feel different? Why did her call feel so good to him? There was so many questions, and not enough answers. He would have been angry, had he not been so used to it. His life is just naturally filled with questions.

He knelt down near her, his shade casting over her. It inadvertently made the nubile princess grumble, and eventually, her eyes opened up. The first sight of those blue orbs sprinkling with life, it made him breathe in deeply. Her nose twitched suddenly, while her eyes squinted in a frustrated manner. And then her mouth opened, so a loud morning yawn could escape. Finally, her eyes opened up as wide as could be. The cerulean orbs of hers trekked the line of the grass, before moving up to the figure above her. She reciprocated the gaze he gave her. One of bleak indifference.

What had they done? Sure, the talk from last night seemed to set aside all the feelings within, but now, now things were just wrong. Even as he reached out his hand so she could grab a hold of it, they knew things weren't right. And they made it that way. The moment they decided to take pleasure with one another, was the moment they ruined everything. They gave way to a question that had been asked millions of times before.

What do they do now?

"Shadow...?" she said, gripping the hand he stretched out.

With a grip so tender, he gently pulled her up. For some reason, she felt weak in the knees, as her feet propped her up. Almost falling, she let out a quick yelp, especially as his hand wrapped around her waist. He held her up, and turned her face to his, so they could meet each others gaze. The silence, which had become a staple for the two, took a hold, as they did nothing but stare at each other. But then, Tikal gazed away.

She peered endlessly at mist of the waterfall, that sound of the crashing stream causing her ears to twitch. Silent mornings like this was something they weren't accustomed too. Then again, waking up in the arms of another being after a nightly tryst wasn't something they were used to either.

His body suddenly left hers. Standing on her own, she turned her blue vision to him. The hedgehog made his way over to the pants and bandages they had so callously tossed away the earlier night. She heard him groan as he lifted the pants up high, so they both could see it. He scanned them closely, and after finding one to be shorter than the other, he tossed it aside. Tikal figured it was hers by his demeanor, and so took steps forward to take it. She watched him put on the larger pair, and gazed into his face as his face continued to harden. Eyes closing, she put on the pair that was hers. Next was those bandages. She covered herself with hers of course, while he stood without them. Hand raising, the hedgehog laid it upon his forehead, as his eyes closed shut. He was in deep thought now, anyone could tell. Tikal found that as a sign to keep silent.

The next minute or two went by so slowly. He didn't move, and she didn't move. The thoughts of the earlier night was still fresh on their minds, obviously enough. No amount of thinking could calm their nerves of their actions. They needed to talk about it.

"Starman, I-"

"Don't," he ordered, glaring at her, "Just don't..."

He crouched down then, and fiddled with the sandals Tikal had given him so long ago. As they slid upon his toes, the echidna behind him approached ever so slowly.

"Shadow..." she whispered, hand laying on her now covered chest, "Shadow, please..."

He didn't look at her, he just continued to mess with his sandals' strands. Tikal watched him do this in silence, her mind unsure of what to do next. She was just so confused. How does anyone deal with something like this?

After finishing his sandals, the hedgehog sat down, Indian style. As he did so, he laid his cheek on his hand, while his eyes peered forward toward the lake's waterfall. He didn't say anything, nor did he do anything, he just stared. This was surely a pose she wasn't used to anyone making. What did it mean to him? Was he thinking again? It sure seemed that way, because he was as silent as before. He looked so tense in this new pose. She really didn't know what to do about it. Just what was she supposed to do? What were _they_ supposed to do?

"Shadow, we... I... What do we do now, huh?"

She got a rise out of him then. He straightened up, and his ears twitched quickly. His head snapped over to her frame quickly, gazing at her over his shoulder. She watched his eyes squint slowly, before he got to his toes slowly. Step after step he took, before meeting her face to face. She looked away at that moment, but his hand found the bottom of her chin. She was expecting an order, or some sort of command, but she got nothing. He just looked at her. Saying nothing. Doing nothing. Just staring.

His body left her's soon after, and his feet started off for the distance. She started following once he neared some trees. The walk to Cielo Isla was going to be a very long one.

…

"Can't you see it Bicab! Nocturnus attacked us!"

The chief was obviously on edge this morning. Maybe it was the bandages on his body, or the bandages that was currently being applied. Pachacamac wasn't in a pleased mood. The women covering his wound was doing a terrible job, though the problem was more the chiefs moving nature, and not her lack of skill.

The metal worker he was talking to gazed off in disappointment, before shifting his gaze back. Pachacamac may have been his leader, but he could be dumb ass sometimes. Good think Tikal got most of her mother's genes.

But back to the problem at hand.

"Bicab, are you listening to me!" he yelled.

"Yes, yes, Pachacamac," he answered, lifting a silver object in his hand, "I heard everything you said."

"Then why are you not as angry as I am!?" the chief questioned, slamming his hand down on the table near him.

"Because I'm trying to sit here and think, Pachacamac," Bicab answered truthfully, "Do you really want to start another battle with the Nocturnus Tribe? It's obvious they weren't the perpetrators of the attack."

He lifted the silver disc in his hand, and examined it closely. Meanwhile, Pachacamac wrapped his brain around the metal worker's words. Did he really just say what he thought he heard? No, Bicab was just spending too much time in the furnaces of his station, of course. Still, he'd be a foolish leader if he didn't ask any further.

"What do you mean, they aren't the perpetrators," the chieftain barked, "What other tribe would have the galls to attack us like he did!? And we both know Finitevus works for them, Bicab!"

"_Used_... too..." the iron worker answered, "He _used_ to work for them. You and I both know that after a certain _event_ he was expelled from the Nocturnus tribe. Why do you try so hard to ignore that?"

"If he was expelled, then why does he still have Gizoids with him?" Pachacamac countered.

"Finitevus is a genius," Bicab answered, now rubbing the silver disc in his hand, "He created those blasted things after all. If he wanted to attack us, he'd just make a few hundred, of course."

"No, Bicab!" Pachacamac stated, "How the hell would he make more of those Gizoids on his own? Only the Nocturnus Tribe has that much steel to work with! There'd be no way he could get that on his own."

Listening to his own words, the chief grew very rambunctious. This caused the woman who was currently attending him to growl with annoyance and anger. Eventually, the chief calmed down, so she could work, and so the conversation could begin anew.

"Bicab," he murmured, "Listen to me... If Finitevus isn't working with the Nocturnus Tribe, then who in the name of the gods _is_ he working for?"

Bicab merely raised his shoulders in a shrug, while he gazed toward his leader. He didn't need to say it, but he did anyway.

"I don't know..."

The leader gazed away, while groans escaped his angered lips. His dark azul eyes trekked up and along the room, before meeting Bicab's frame once more. The metal working echidna reached into his own garbs, and suddenly pulled out a new and weird object. It was, from what Pachacamac could see, two circular and see-through discs, attached to a black rim. The echidna continued to analyze the object, before he placed it on his own head. Now, with this new weird object on his face, the metal worker returned his sight to silver disc in hand.

"What's that, Bicab?" Pachamac questioned.

"What... this...?" the echidna said, pointing to the thing on his head, "Oh. I made them, they increase one's eyesight. I used some of those see through rocks from Red Mountain's summit, placed them in a design of mind. I call them Sight Enhancers, but Millikan says they should be called glasses or something. I think she's acting stupid though."

Now finished with the prodding of the silver disc, and figuring that the conversation was over, Bicab took a stand. His eyes aimed for the doorway, and his feet brought him forward.

"It's a shame you couldn't be at the dance last night," the metal worker stated, "It was great. Tikal did phenomenal."

"I don't want to hear about it," Pachacamac stated, "Just get your men working on the city, you hear?"

"Yes, Chief, yes..."

His feet brought him away from the home moments later.

…

Chaos lifted the three Emeralds up high. Those green orbs of his scanned the columns that circled the Master Emerald Altar. Four of the three columns were destroyed, all thanks to Finitevus and his group. It angered the water god deeply. He wanted to find Finitevus, and drown him in the slowest manner possible. But of course, he hadn't the slightest clue where Finitevus was. Normally, he would be able to sense the Emeralds presence. But something was masking them this time. He didn't enjoy it.

Footsteps. Familiar footsteps. He leaped into one of the Master Emerald's ponds, sending the Chao who played in it flying everywhere. He sank into it, moved over to the edge, just in time to see Tikal and Shadow walk up. But they didn't look to happy. The hedgehog looked as indifferent as always, but Chaos could tell there was something different about him. And Tikal, she looked so disappointed and grieved. Like she was crying. Why was Tikal crying?

Why!?

The water god leaped out of the pond, landing right before the hedgehog. The Starman quickly leaped back, his hand covering Tikal in a protective way. Chaos' aquatic body continued to ooze, as he stomped slowly toward them. His head formed a mouth, and it opened up slowly. Rows of teeth were shown by the god, before the creäture closed his mouth just as slowly. Shadow straightened up after a while however, and his hand left Tikal's body.

"Still protective, aren't we..." he whispered, "Don't worry, I didn't do anything to her."

Did Shadow take the water god as a fool? Did he not know the powers he possessed? He held three Chaos Emeralds, where one was enough to wipe the hedgehog away from the face of the planet. To put it lightly, the water god didn't believe Shadow's words. He knew when Tikal was hurting, and she was definitely hurting.

"Chaos please," the echidna said, laying her hand on his shoulder, "Calm down. Nothing's wrong..."

He glared at her. Was she acting stupid now? He knew something was wrong. But those eyes of hers, the tone of her voice. She was sincere, honest, in her position. Then why did she look so awkward? Why was she walking in a different way, and why didn't she make eye contact. Though, a better question would be, why was Shadow glaring at him so intensely? What did those two do, that made them act so differently.

"Tiiiiiiiii... Kaaaaaaaaalll..." the water god let out.

Shadow raised an eyebrow at the sight. He didn't know Chaos could form coherent words, even if it was just one. Tikal's lips curled into a smile, as she heard the call of her name. It was the first smile she gave this morning. Hand meeting Chaos head, she patted it down lovingly. Chaos' green orbs rolled around in his head for a brief moment, before his mouth opened once again. She gazed to his toes, and watched the three powerful diamonds flow through his body. The yellow, blue, and green Chaos Emeralds sat in his mouth for a few moments, before he dropped them from his jaw. They landed in Tikal's hands, and immediately, she frowned.

"Chaos, I can't," she whispered, "They don't..."

"They work just fine," Shadow answered while his hand fell upon her hands, "They work just fine, Tikal."

She gazed into those fiery eyes of his, and grew silent. The way he said it, and the gaze he gave her, it filled her with hope. She began to believe, though she knew better, that her Chaos Powers were still there. In fact, as she held onto his hand, she felt as if they were there. As if they never left.

"Shadow..." she murmured.

His hand left her, and he turned to face Cielo Isla's walls. Feet moving again, he began for the bridge. Tikal lingered behind for a few more seconds, while she gazed at his fleeting image. Chaos cocked his head at the sight. A series of ripples coursed through his watery body.

"Yes Chaos..." she answered, "Yes... I do... I don't know why but I do..."

Her feet started moving again, and eventually brought her to the hedgehog's side.

…

"Those blasted Knuckles Tribesmen..." she stated.

The clanks of her armor clad feet brought her down the elevated metal walkway. The lights that spread all around her did very little for the extremely dark atmosphere, causing her to jerk her head, less she lose herself in the shadowed halls. The Gizoids that accompanied her walked about in such a stupid way, being ever so uniform in its antics. They were pissing her off, in all honesty.

"Go away!" she barked at the machines, "I can make my way down here by myself!"

The Gizoids stopped briefly, as if heeding her words. But they didn't listen, of course. As soon as she took a step forward, they started following her again. Of course.

With a loud groan, she continued down the walkway, and to a great pair of sealed off doors. Laying her hands on the blasted things, she pushed them open with a mighty push. The noise of it screamed into the air, as well as giving way to a blinding light. She covered her eyes to the light at first, but her feet never stopped bringing her forward.

"Imperator Dimitri," the woman said, kneeling down, "I have returned."

The lights in the room dimmed out briefly, just so she could see a being before her. It was an echidna, just like her, and wore armor, just like her. The only difference, was its armor was more brilliant in compared to hers. Also, the helmet was gone, revealing the being underneath.

A male echidna, with red fur, and verdant eyes. The echidna before him watched, as he cracked his neck, and sigh out indifference.

"Stand, Lien-Da," he said, "And take of that helmet. You must be steaming underneath."

There was a groan that came from the woman, but she did so regardless. Her hands met the top of her head, and removed the helmet that hung onto her. She was a very sexy woman. Flowing long red hair that came from her head, with these reflective indigo eyes, along with a curvaceous figure, that was visible even beneath the full body armor. But boy did she look evil. She was the kind of person you steer clear of, less you wish for a quick and decisive death.

"Did you see that Imperator?" she questioned, annoyance in her voice, "Did you see what they had the galls to do?"

The leader gave a quick nod, while he cracked a few bones in his neck again.

"It must have been necessary," he said, his voice so demanding, so powerful, "They sent the Guardian of the Master Emerald herself. Along with that, Starman, they keep speaking of."

"They also electrocuted me!" Lien-Da yelled, "Dropped a lightning bolt directly on my head!"

"Yes... good job surviving too..." the leading echidna lifted his hand, and brought it to his chin, as he took a thinking pose, "Now... what business would they have for coming so close to us?"

"I say, we attack them! Right now!"

"If you do that. Then you will die..."

The two echidnas locked up, before spinning around quickly. Standing at the doorway, his body cloaked in a long garb, a certain albino echidna. Lien-Da straightened up quickly, while her hand fell to her side. Grabbing this handle, she pulled it out, revealing it to be a whip.

"You..." she snarled, "What business do you have here!? Finitevus!?"

The albino echidna pulled back his hood, revealing his face to the two. He smirked at first, before his lips turned into a demented scowl. Feet moving, he constantly took steps forward, but a crack of Lien-Da's whip stopped him in her place.

"Don't move any further Finitevus! Don't you remember you were banished!?"

"Yes, Lien-Da dear," he answered, "Must you be so cruel?"

"Finitevus!" she sneered.

"Calm down, Lien-Da," Dimitri's voice came from behind, as he stepped forward, "Let the banished one speak, for a change," his eyesight then intensified, as he shot out this deadly glare, "Tell me, Finitevus. Why have you come back?"

The albino echidna lifted his hand to chuckle, as his other hand reached into his cloak. Once it returned, it held a shining white jewel inside it. The crystal shined brighter and brighter, eventually fighting the artificial light of the room, with its own natural light.

"Is that..." Lien-Da said, astonished.

"A Chaos Emerald?" Dimitri answered.

"Oh yes..." Finitevus answered, "And you're just so lucky, that I, and my employer, need your help."

"What kind...?" Dimitri questioned.

"The help that entails attacking a certain, Cielo Isla."

"Why would we need your help!?" Lien-Da yelled.

"They have a guardian there," Finitevus said, "A watery being that can eat these Emeralds, and grow into wild, different forms. I assume you all want revenge for the intruders, no? If you attacked without my help, then that water god of theirs, would kill you without even thinking. But I have its weakness..."

"Oh, is that so?" Lien-Da said, "I don't believe you! You're a liar, Finitevus! Besides, what's in it for us?"

"The Emeralds," Finitevus said, "Because all I need, is a certain echidna. Orange fur. Blue eyes."

"That harlot!" Lien-Da cried, "She's the one who dropped a lighting bolt on me!"

"I took her powers," Finitevus said, smiling, "But they will be back in a weeks time, thanks to all the time she spends around the Emeralds. Unless we move now, of course."

"Then... what is your idea, Finitevus..." Dimitri said, sitting back down on his throne.

"What!? Imperator Dimitri, you believe him!?"

"He has an Emerald," he answered, "Seems like a good bargaining chip... I've had my eyes on those rocks for many years, anyway," he closed his eyes, and gazed down, "Okay, Finitevus... you have my alliance. Who do you want, and why?"

"No reason," the albino answered, "Just call it... the rambles of a madman..."

…

"Starman... we need to talk about this..."

This was it. If she didn't get this off her chest. If she didn't talk about this now, she was sure she never would. She stood in her usual clothes now, that shoulderless white shirt that ended above her stomach, the green, white, and red patterned skirt, her many golden bands and jewelery. And he had on the clothes she made for him. The chest plate, the sandals, the gloves on his hand. Somehow, gazing at him like this, made her feel stronger in her words, as if she couldn't talk to him in any other way but this.

They stood in the fields of the Chao Ruins. His feet brought him here aimlessly after they got dressed, and she just followed him for some reason. But she could follow for so long, before it got pointless. She needed to know, know if those feelings from last night were forever, or just that night. And only he had the answers.

"Shadow, please," she said, "Talk to me... What happened last night? Those feelings... your words... were they true?"

The hedgehog stopped near a broken building, and his hand met the walls of it. He laid his hand on the bridge of his nose, while he groaned out. He turned to her, his ruby eyes burning, while his mouth opened to speak.

"Yes..." he answered.

That was easy, honestly. Tikal was sure he was going to lie, or say nothing at all. But he answered her in the way she wanted him too. The way that made her heart flutter.

"So... you love me...?"

"I never said that..." he answered, glancing away.

Though he denied it, she knew otherwise. The way the hedgehog had been acting, his sudden open nature, the trance like way from last night. The love, the lust, the pleasure. He could lie all he wanted too, and she would accept it. But she knew the truth.

"I... I understand your way, Starman," she stated, "If you don't want to say anything, I get it... but..."

"But... what...?" he inquired.

She smiled.

"I can't just let you get away with your nature... you must take responsibility for your actions, Starman."

The hedgehog straightened up. He didn't like the sound of that. His hand met the back of his quills, and he stroked them down. They sprang back up quickly, of course, though with the added sound of a growl.

"What do you mean...?" he answered.

"Last night," she answered, stepping forward, "What you and I did. It wasn't normal, Shadow. We... made love..."

"And...?" he asked, prodding the subject further.

"And... You... took away that which made me... pure, Shadow. You can't ignore that... But I don't have to be this way..."

He turned to her, but ever so slowly. He knew exactly what she was talking about, and all he could say was 'no'. The words never left his lips though, as he just stared into her blue eyes. They looked hurt, but a sign of hope lied within them. All that mattered, was his next answer. But she knew the circumstances that bound him to this world. He wasn't of the past, but of the future. He shouldn't be here, she did know that. He _wanted_ to go home, she knew that.

She did. She just didn't care.

"Stay with us... Shadow..." she answered, as her hand grabbed his, "And... let's not be alone anymore..."

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Oh yes, a short chapter, by my standards. Few..._

_Anyway, as you can see, things are beginning to unfold. Shadow and Tikal's actions will have their own reactions, ya'know, and one of them has already been shown. What will Shadow do, huh?_

_I primarily wanted to focus on the villains in this chapter. We haven't seen them for a while, ya'know. And what, you thought Shadow and Tikal's sneaking into Nocturnus wasn't going to have its own problems? You need to know better! The two new villains for this piece, are Lien-Da, and Dimitri. These two are from the comics, just like Dr. Finitevus, and once again, they are primarily Knuckles villains. Once again, they have been changed to equal the gamesverse. Both of which, have pretty crazy back stories, so I won't explain them. If you want a good, coherent summary of them, read the wiki pages. Here's my summary._

_They are evil. Oh yeah, and Lien-Da's hot, sexy even. Honestly, I think she's the first Sonic character I developed a crush on. Ugh... That aside..._

_In this story, they are members of the Nocturnus Tribe, since the Dark Legion doesn't exist in the games and stuff. In this story, Dimitri is the Imperator before Ix. I did that as to not reveal anything from the Dark Brotherhood game. Which reminds me, I gotta go and beat that dang game._

_Oh well, another down, more to go._

_God. Lien-Da still gets a rise out of me. I hate to say that. That dang leather and whip. Whoops... I wrote that, didn't I? Oh well._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	19. Domination

Domination

He turned to face her. The mere sight of his frame, slowly shifting, so his gaze could take her's, made her heart flutter. As soon as his fiery orbs locked sight with her blue ones, she wanted so desperately to look away. She couldn't bear his sight. And for some reason, that made her smile. She kept that smile too, even as she returned her eyesight to his. She watched his crimson eyes move up and down her body, while his mind surely pondered a decision. A decision, she couldn't wait to hear.

But he was so silent. She watched him shift uncomfortably from one foot to the other. He closed his eyes, and gave a growl. Under her touch, she could feel his body stiffen. She tried to soothe him, but increasing the grip on his hand. At the same time, her other hand lied upon it, sandwiching it in her grasp. The movements made him stop growling, though his body never loosened up. Instead his eyes opened, and he gazed at his hand within her's.

What happened to her supposed frailty? What happened to that tribal girl, who thought of him as a demon? What happened to her? Who was this? She looked so stern right now, adamant in her position. He'd be lying if he said she wasn't desirable right now, attractive, even.

But that's not the point right now. All that bravado, all that strength, did nothing to change the thoughts in his head. He couldn't say yes. This wasn't his home. His home was thousands of years in the future, alongside a certain kleptomaniac bat, a psychopathic robot, and an army of highly trained agents. Not here, in the past, alongside an angelic echidna, a watery god, and people who honor and revere him.

What would he say? Yes, or no? Gazing upon her face, he watched it grow filled with fear, and impatient. She wanted to know what he was going to say. _He_ wanted to know what she was going to say. This silence couldn't last forever, even if he wanted it too. He had to give an answer, and soon.

His face gazed down. Eyes closed shut, and bent down in a haggard face. She watched his lips pull back, so his pearly white teeth could be seen. The hand that lied in between her's, curled up into a fists, while groans and growls started to leave his lips.

"I can't, Tikal," he stated, those crimson eyes snapping open, "I can't! I can't just stay!"

He broke away from her grasp, and turned around. He didn't want to face her as he said these words. His fists opened and closed, over and over again, while he came to terms with his own words.

"Tikal," he said, "There are people out there... waiting for me... I'm sure of it. People who need me."

"I need you, Starman." she answered.

That wasn't a response he was expecting. He slowly turned to her, and gazed as well. She stood there, arms behind her, as her eyes peered into the earth. Then her feet started moving forward, bringing her closer and closer to the hedgehog she was speaking too.

"Shadow, you make me feel so good, remember?" she stated, "You make me see things in a light I can't quite understand. And... even though you won't say it, I know you feel the same about me..." she gazed up, so their eyes could meet each others, "Those feelings we had last night... They were feelings I had never felt before. New ones, that were so different. The thought of not experiencing those feelings again... I can't think about it. And I can only experience those feelings, when I'm with you, Shadow..."

Her eyes grew half close, before they dropped down to his torso. Her fingers, met the bottom of his chest, before gliding its way upward. They came in contact with his chest plate, where she began to circle her finger around his beating heart.

"I don't want you to leave," she stated, eyes closing, "I don't want to be apart from you. I love you, Shadow the hedgehog. I don't know why. I'm not sure what you did to me, or if I did this to myself, but I do. I love you..."

She gazed back up to him. Just like in the Dance of the Phoenix, she grabbed a hold of his shoulders. At first, she thought the feeling wouldn't be met, but then his hand gripped onto her hips. Though that visage of his was still indifferent, she felt such lust resonate from off him. Lust she couldn't wait to reciprocate.

Would it be wrong to say her first time was enjoyable? Would it be wrong to say she wanted more of it? Would it be wrong to say she would only have him? For angels, maybe. But she cared not for angels and demons anymore.

She kissed him. He kissed her back. In each others grasps, they felt the warmth glide off. She felt his tongue slither by hers, and the taste of it made her moan. She felt her own body grow limber in his arms, and because of this, she fell forward. His hold kept her up, however, and his mouth never stopped working. Their kiss was not just a one time deal, they would continue, one after another, over and over again. The abandoned and decrepit ruins gave way to the sounds of their kisses. They bounced off, causing echoes to occur. The sound of it made him growl.

He laid her up against a wall, and continued to kiss her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, as he held her up with his hands and strength alone. And they continued to kiss like this. Her hands on his cheeks, angling him in a way, that she could get the best kisses. This lasted for some time, before she broke of the engagement to breathe.

"Starman." she whispered.

"Tikal..." he answered.

She closed her eyes and smiled.

"I love you..."

Of course, a reply never came. Well, not in the way she expected. He sat her back on the earth, and she gazed at him. Though he said nothing, she somehow could tell what he wanted. Her left arm slide in between his right one, and locked itself in place. She started pulling him then, farther and farther away from the Chao Ruins, and into the city of Cielo Isla.

…

Everything else went by in such a flash and blur. There was giggles, peeling off of clothes, moans, groans, and growls, especially from him. Their fingers and lips, explored every inch of each others bodies, reaching new heights in pleasure and love.

Yes. Love. For only beings who love each other, could be so perfect for each other. Especially like this. But once again, the aftermath was here.

Shadow's ruby eyes opened up. First, he peered up to the pristine white ceiling of his chamber. This room was cleared out specifically for him. It lied in a building adorned in gold and jewelery, a complex made for gods. The black and red hedgehog had been staying in this room for most of his time in the city of Cielo Isla, and truthfully, he was enjoying it. But enough of that.

His eyes traveled down to the golden sheets that covered his body, and _her _body. Speaking of which.

He gazed to her. Her face was buried in the white turf of his chest, while she clinched ever so tightly to him. She had this smile on her muzzle, a faint one, but one nonetheless. The hedgehog couldn't help but to ruffle her dreads with his fingers. Her lips broke into a smirk, while her eyes opened up.

That smile left her.

They couldn't keep doing this. It may have happened only twice, but it was two times too many. He knew that, and she knew that. They were enjoying this too much, and they knew it. But they knew the dangers. They knew what could possibly happen, if the two continued this intense dance. Not to mention the scrutiny of her people, they faced a potential life changing outcome. An outcome neither of them wanted to think about. Though, Tikal had an idea.

"Marry me..."

The hedgehog didn't even give her statement the light of day. He just gazed down to the bed, while Tikal crawled up. To be honest, she couldn't believe the words she herself said. Marriage, to the Starman? Was it blasphemous to marry a gift from the gods? Then again, she had slept with him now twice, so was _that_ blasphemous? She wasn't sure, honestly.

"Seriously, Starman," she stated, "Marry me... Then, we can continue this..."

"I don't want to continue this!" he retorted, as he gazed at her, "Tikal, look at me! I'm not of this time! I must go to the future."

"Starman, please..." she answered, eyes bending down in sadness, "I can't stand the thought of staying without you."

"And you know what," he said, giving a groan, while he steadily calmed down, "I... can't either..." the then looked at her over his shoulder, "But I can't... marry you, Tikal. Did you even hear your own words?"

"Shadow, I-"

"Listen Tikal," he ordered, cutting her off, "I... need to be alone for a while..." he turned to her, and kissed her on the lips, "I'll be back soon..."

He got to his feet, and gathered his things. Putting on his clothing, he neared the exit of the room. Tikal just watched him, and once the door closed, she fell back in the bed.

What had she done? What in the name of the under-gods, did she do? The orange echidna girl could only think now, as if his presence made her mind go numb. Which in all honesty, he _did_ make her mind go numb. That's the only reason why she could lie here, in his bed, thinking about him. Smelling the residual amounts of his fragrance from off his bed. Reminiscing about how they were making love. So much love.

It made her furious!

Shadow had to be a demon! There was no way she could go from years of anglicism, to debauchery, in a matter of a day!

Sex! Sex! Sex! With Shadow! The thought of it was both inviting, and appalling. She. She wanted him so badly. Even now! Was this what love is? Becoming an emotion wreck if the person you love may or may not leave you? Because that's what she was thinking? What if he decided to return to the future? What if he decides to keep her this impure guardian, forever alone.

Forever alone. She didn't want to be alone again. How powerful was loneliness, that she couldn't stand it?

This love was so wrong, and good, so bad, and so needed. It was like a drug. A drug she couldn't be without. And Shadow was her supplier. If he left her, left her without that drug of love, left her alone. She didn't know what she would do. And it made her say,

"Shadow..."

…

Back to the Chao Ruins.

He laid his hand on the side of one of the constructs. He glanced at it. Staring back, the image of a smiling Chao. The hedgehog's eyes squinted.

Pulling back his fist, he slammed it against the building block, causing it to explode from his mighty fist. Rocks, stubble, and bricks were thrown from the attack, making the hedgehog roar out. He peered down to the rocks he selfishly destroyed, while his mind raced with thoughts.

Damn Tikal! Why had she done this to him!? Why did he ever get into that darn experimental jet, and screw up!? Why did it bring him thousands of years to the past, so he could meet this one girl!? What, was this fate!? Was meeting Tikal fated to happen!? Is that why he was here!?

Why did he want her, even now? Why was the times they spent with each other, kissing one another, making love to one another, so perfect in his mind? The more he thought on it, the more distant the idea of returning home became. He didn't want to go home, not without her. He just couldn't face the idea.

It pissed him off even more. He raised his hands, and slammed them down against a fallen wall. It crumbled thanks to his hit, and was reduced to rubble. The hedgehog could destroy everything in these ruins, and it would give him absolutely zero pleasure.

Wait a second. He had an idea. A good one at that.

"I'll bring her with me..."

It was such a simple thought, he felt stupid that he didn't think of it before. Yes, he'll just take Tikal with him. To the present! But wait, that could only adversely affect the future, right? Then again, from all he could tell, history doesn't say much on an orange furred echidna who changed the world, right? Then that wouldn't matter. All he had to do, was talk the woman in question over to his side. That would go over easily, hopefully enough. Because, he felt like he couldn't be without her. That thought of it sickened him, but it wasn't leaving, so he'd have to deal with it. For now, anyway.

Rocks fell. His head bucked up. The night-sky was peering down upon him. It reminded him of the nubile princess that lied in his bed. But no, he wanted to be free of that image. Tikal was quickly becoming a habit, a habit he couldn't wait to break.

More rocks fell. The first one was natural, the next ones were deliberate.

"Who's there!?" he barked, turning around.

Nothing. All he saw was the endless fields, with the many broken ruins intermixed with them. But he wasn't alone, he knew that. He was trained to know things like that.

He started to walk slowly, as his ruby eyes scanned the area around him. Maybe it was the darkened atmosphere, but it was getting much harder for him to notice things.

Floating, pulsating purple lines aren't hard to see, however, in any light.

The hedgehog had to blink, and rub his eyes in order to make sure he was seeing this. Floating purple lights, just walking through the silent air. Was this some sort of apparition, or was he tripping on some prehistoric drugs, and just didn't know it? Though he didn't want to, he knew he'd have too.

"What the?" he let out at first, "Who, or what, are you!?"

The lines suddenly jerked its way around. Before Shadow knew it, lights that appeared vaguely eyeball in shape, was gazing at him. He stared deeper. They were eyes.

"Shoot!" a familiar female's voice said, "Darn this suit! What's the point of a cloaking setting, if the lights give off my position!?"

The air around the purple lights started to distort, and before Shadow knew it, a voluptuous female's figure was standing before him. And she was wearing the clothing of the Nocturnus Tribe, of course. Not only that, but now that Shadow thought on it, he realized why the woman sounded familiar. She was the one who attacked them in the Nocturnus City, the one who Tikal dropped a lightning bolt on. And she survived? How the hell did she do that?

Despite the question, and obvious lack of answers, the hedgehog raised his fists. If Tikal didn't kill her, he surely was.

"What are you doing here?" the hedgehog inquired.

"Like I'd have to tell you." the woman answered.

Shadow squinted.

"Stupid broad," he retorted, "Tell me why you are here, before I destroy you."

"How dare you call me a stupid broad!?" she yelled back, "Don't you know who you're dealing with!?"

Villains. Despite the change in time, they all act like uppity bastards. It made Shadow chuckle.

"No," he responded, "Nor do I care. I just want to know what a Nocturnus Tribesmen is doing in here."

"Wait a second..." she commented, leaning forward, "You... you're that hedgehog, from the other night, aren't you?"

"It took you long enough." he scoffed.

"Oh, calm yourself," she barked, "It was dark and raining, I could barely see you, not to mention the fact that I got a lightning bolt dropped on my head."

"Impressive job surviving that, I must say," Shadow commented, "You should have stayed away though. You could have enjoyed your life."

"To be honest," the woman said, her voice growing a certain kind of cockiness to it, "I was expecting you. Ever since you popped up, those Knuckles Tribesmen have been parading you around like some kind of pariah! I've been waiting for the chance to fight you."

Her hand dropped to the side of her leg. Shadow followed the movement closely, and noticed a coiled black wire attached to her hip. A whip.

"Oh yessss..." she purred, "I'm going to enjoy breaking you..."

"Not if I break you first..." the hedgehog answered, eyes becoming a deadly squint.

The woman gripped the handle of her whip, and in a quick deadly movement, she slipped it out, cracking against the air as she did so. Shadow raised his fists, and took a defense stance to match her armed one. The woman before him cracked her whip a few times, before striking it against the earth. Shadow watched the whip fall, and to his surprise, it caused rocks to fly skyward. Though the hedgehog showed no fear, he was thinking about it. Getting hit by that thing wouldn't be the wisest of decisions. Regardless...

He quickly leaped forward. He was a virtual blur, as he coursed through the dark night. Add that to the fact that he was black furred, and he became invisible. He streaked through the air at high speeds, before coming to the woman's position. While still in midair, he rolled into a ball, and aimed his feet forward. The edge of his sandal clad feet clashed against the woman's head.

She was sent back by the attack, and her back collided into the earth. Shadow landed quickly, while he scoffed at the woman's poor excuse for a battle. Though it just began, he was sure the fight wouldn't last long if this continued.

"I hope this isn't all you've got..." he stated.

Suddenly, he felt something wrap around his ankle. He glared down to it, noticing the woman's whip around him. He peered back up, only to see she had gotten to her feet. With a mighty tug, she slipped him from his stance, and he fell to the ground. A loud growl exited his lips, while a stirring purr came from her. She pulled on the whip again, dragging Shadow across the earth. His body left a groove in the earth, as he was pulled violently against it. Once things stopped, he glared up, only to see that woman's boot. She dropped the steel-clad foot against his face, causing a sharp, explosive pain to jolt through him. She raised her foot again, and dropped it again, but this time, he stopped it with his hands.

Gripping onto the foot, he forced forward a great spur of strength. The woman was shifted off her foot, and she failed to regain that balance. Somehow, Shadow was able to roll things around. Now he was atop her, while her foot remained in his hands. He pulled on it, and twisted it around the ankle, causing the woman to scream out in pain.

Or was that lust. Was she, enjoying this?

Suddenly, that whip made its way around Shadow's neck. He glared down at it with a surprised face, wondering how it got there. And then he was being choked. His violent cries went through the air, as that whip increased its hold. He started coughing, and his spit flew through the air. Grip releasing on the woman's foot, he noticed her slip from under his grasp. Now she stood behind him, while she still continued to choke him. The whip grew stronger and stronger with each passing second, and he fell to his knees.. The only sound he could hear, was his screams, and her sultry laughs.

"Enjoying it, Starman!?" she roared, "Because I sure am!"

Suddenly, her boot found his back, and she started pushing. The force around his neck was growing even stronger. If this continued, he was sure his neck would be broken in twain. So he fought back.

His hand reached up, and gripped the woman's waist. For a brief moment, she gasped, and her tight whip loosened. That's all he needed. He pulled the woman down, and gripped the top of her helmet. He heard her shout objections, while he tossed her over his body.

Far away, he watched her tumble, eventually crashing into a column. She fell face first into the earth as well, while a pained grunt came from her. Shadow stood tall, while he rubbed his neck. He coughed a few times, before realizing something lied in his hand.

That woman's helmet.

"AGH!" she yelled, "AH! My face!"

She got to her toes, and he watched her. The woman was an echidna, obviously, with this long red hair, and reflective indigo eyes. She showed visible pain on her face, while her hand dragged against her muzzle. She dragged her finger briefly against her nose, and upon dragging it back, she saw blood drag across her finger. The sight of it made her fur stand on end, as well as caused her teeth to be shown.

"You... BASTARD!" she yelled, "YOU HURT ME!"

The hedgehog found that to be funny words. Just the way she fought, and the fact that she used a whip, cemented the fact in his mind that she was a dominatrix. Did that exist yet? He wasn't sure, though he was positive that mind crazed woman was one, possibly the first one.

"Funny words," the hedgehog stated, "Especially since you were choking me. By the way," he waved her helmet around, "You dropped this..."

She watched him drop the head ware to the ground, and once it did, he slammed his foot against it. With one mighty blow, the helmet was broken into pieces. Smirking at the sight, he brought his gaze up to meet the woman's she looked downright enraged by that.

"MY HELMET!" she yelled, "YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

"Now that your face has been shown," the hedgehog stated, "Do you want to start this battle anew?"

He heard her crack her whip, and it brought his eyes up. He followed the black weapon course around the air in a skillful manner. She really did know how to use that thing. Suddenly, it fell down, and crushed the earth before the hedgehog. He peered up at her, and saw a growling visage stare back. Once again he took a battling pose. Game on.

She struck first this time. Her whip pierced the air and came near his foot. He hopped up to dodge the attack, and by the time he landed, he watched the whip come back, this time for his face. He dodged that attack too, and figuring it was unwise to battle an armed woman in armor, he rolled behind a column. He caught his breath, but suddenly, that whip wrapped around the column above him. He peered up, seeing that black thing coil powerfully around the dusty old construct. He heard her pull, and with that same powerful tug, the column snapped. The top piece fell above Shadow, but the hedgehog dodged it in time by rolling. He peered back to the woman, finding her nowhere. A battle cry echoed above him, however, and gazing up, he saw her. She clenched both ends of her whip in her hand, and fell upon the hedgehog. The thick wire pressed itself up against his neck, forcing him to the earth. Gazing up, he watched that ruby furred echidna smile dementedly, while she forced the whip down upon his neck. Quickly, however, he pulled back his fist, and struck her in the face.

The woman was made dazed by the attack, and she stepped back because of it. At the same time, Shadow got to his feet. To be honest, the hedgehog never liked the idea of hitting a woman. It was a cowardly movement, for no one hits a woman. That's something Maria taught him. But this woman, was no woman. Her every movement freaked the hell out of the hedgehog. Her every movement was that of some mercenary, or torturer, or seducer. He really wanted to finish this, and quickly.

He rushed forward, arms out in fists. Though she was dazed from his punch, she recoiled quickly. Her hands reached forward, and grabbed a hold of his fists. The hedgehog grew wide-eyed at the sight, for he wasn't expecting her to get ready so soon. She suddenly forced forth some strength too, and tossed him over her body. The hedgehog went straight for the earth, but once he met it, he rolled into a perfect ball. The woman watched him skirt around the fields of Chao Ruins, before he returned to her, while still in that perfect ball. In his spin dash, he rammed into her body, picking her up from the earth, and slamming her into a wall.

Rocks, debris, and bricks were thrown skyward. Through the carnage, Shadow landed. Surely, after an attack like that, things had to be over. There was no way a person could survive that, let alone some cackling woman. But to his surprise, she stood in the mist. Hunched over, arms on her stomach, as she coughed.

"Dammit!" she barked, "That hurt..."

She kept surprising him, honestly.

To be truthful, Shadow couldn't remember the last time he had a battle like this. No powers, no outside forces, just two beings, their wills, and their skills. This woman was proving to be a very entertaining and interesting foe, much to his surprise. Were all echidnas like that? He was sure beginning to believe it. It kind of made him feel sorry for the lonely one who sat on his floating island all days. Such a proud, strong race. All gone.

Her whip cackled. He brought his eyes, watching the thick black wire twist and turn in the air. The hedgehog growled, as he brought his fists up once more. What was this woman doing here? In all honesty, he didn't care anymore. He was going to crush this woman.

He dashed forward. Her whip struck forward. Though he jutted to the left, he felt the wicked weapon strike past the side of his skin, cutting inside. Blood flew, but he cared not. His hands were reached forward, and he was read to strike this woman. That whip wrapped around his waist somehow through these speeds. Her skills with that thing were amazing, to say the least. To bad it didn't matter anymore, for his hand was now around her neck.

She let out haggard coughs, as his hold increased around her neck. Stronger, and stronger, his grip grew, causing her to cough and moan out in pain. He cared not, for he had her pinned down to the earth. While still choking her, he brought up her head, and slammed it down. She felt this pain course through her, and her eyes dazed. The hedgehog retained that demented expression though, as he continued to choke her. He watched her indigo eyes roll back. The time was nearing.

Suddenly, his hand rose up. He noticed it out the corner of her eye. The whip's handle lied firmly in her hand. She revealed a button on it.

She pressed the button.

The next thing Shadow knew, he had thousands of volts of electricity coursing through his veins. He screamed out louder and louder, as his body quaked with electric pain. Fortunately, his hands were around the woman's neck, unfortunately, she was gaining a pleasure he'd never understand.

"YES!" she yelled out as pain went through her body, "YES! YES!"

This went on for what felt like forever, before the lighting show stopped. Shadow breathed in and out, as jolts of pain ran through his body every now and then. Suddenly, his eyes rolled into the back of his skull, and he fell back.

Silence.

"I told you I'd break you..." she whispered, standing tall.

Her tongue slithered out in a sultry manner, while she laid her boot on his chest. He wasn't moving, as his body smoldered. She spat on the ground next to him, raised her foot, then struck him powerfully in the chest. You know, just to add insult to injury.

Now back to the mission at hand. Good thing she was wearing her armor, that hedgehog slugged her like a titan. In fact, she could have sworn her jaw was dislocated, but that was just her mind playing tricks on her. In fact, she spat out some more spit. Blood. As good as that electrocution felt, she knew that wasn't the brightest of ideas.

"Wow... You took him out. Good job, Lien-Da..."

She sighed in annoyance, as she turned around. A cloaked, albino echidna stared down upon the body of the black and red hedgehog, while knowledgeable smirk lied on his lips. It was there for only a few seconds, however, before melting away. Feet moving forward, he gazed at Lien-Da with those eyes filled with purpose.

"Can we get a move on, Finitevus?" she asked.

"Yes, yes..." he answered, "First, the girl, then the Emeralds."

"Why do you want her, huh? Isn't she your niece?"

"No," he answered, "Not my niece... Not after what Akna did to me. She's just a vessel, Lien-Da, one that needs to fulfill her purpose."

"Whatever..." the dominating echidna answered, "Let's just move... You nutcase..."

Eventually, they stepped off, leaving the hedgehog alone in the nighttime air.

…

"No..." she whispered, "Stop it... No... get away from him... Go! SHADOW!"

She brought her head up quickly. The candles in the room had already been blown out, casting the room in extreme darkness. The only light came from the silver moon outside, and the twinkling stars. She laid her hand on her chest, feeling her heart beat at great speeds.

Did that dream actually happen? Did she really see Shadow, the Starman, being defeated by some Nocturnus Tribeswoman? Or was that her mind playing tricks on her? Her Chaos Powers were gone, she shouldn't be having these dreams. Not anymore, right? Well, there was only one answer to this question. Only one of two things could have blown out the candles. Natural air, or himself. She gazed to her bedside.

He wasn't there.

Immediately, she began to fret. She brought her knees up through the bed sheets, and grabbed close her knees. They were coming for her. The Nocturnus Tribe. They were coming. She leaped out of her bed, and scurried for her clothes. They lied on the floor near her bed, so callously tossed thanks to their tryst. She slipped them on quickly, as she started to pant.

Reaching the door, she suddenly stopped. She could feel the air in the room grow wild, and strange, as if she wasn't alone. She turned around, and laid her back against the wall. She knew they were here. She knew there was no escaping. She knew she should have just faced it, and given up.

But that's not what Knuckles Tribesmen do.

She showed her fangs, and raised her fists. The air grew a bit defensive. She caused her blue eyes to dance around the room.

She felt something to her left. She punched to her left. Nothing.

She felt something to her right. She punched to her right. Nothing, again.

She started to punch the air, but not in a wild frantic way. All of this was very deliberate. Everywhere she punched, she was sure something or someone was there. But no one was there. No one. And then.

She felt something small and sharp, jab its way into her spine. The orange echidna locked up. Her eyes rolled up into the back of the skull, and she fell forward. But she never hit the ground. Instead, something held her up. An indigo eyed female, in fact.

"You stupid bitch..." she said, "What, thought I forgot about the lightning bolt?"

"For heavens sake, Lien-Da," Finitevus said from behind, "The girl is unconscious."

"She dropped a lighting bolt on my head, Finitevus!" she growled, "I believe you'd know the effect of that."

She heard him growl through the darkness, but it didn't last long.

"You can carry her, right?" he asked.

"She's as light as a feather," Lien-Da answered, "I can carry her..."

"Good... Let's head for the Emerald Altar. And prepare yourself. Their water guardian will not like what we have done. He seems to care for the echidna."

Lien-Da repeated his words with a silent mouth, before growing adamant. In a quick, and silent movement, they reached the window seal. And gazing out toward the resting city of Cielo Isla, they aimed way for the Master Emerald Altar.

…

He caused the three Emeralds to dance around in his body. It was odd. With three Chaos Emeralds in his body, he took the form reminiscent of a raptor it seemed. He stomped around the field, like the kind of the land, his heavy, great, aquatic limbs crashing against the earth. The Chao that danced in the ponds steered clear of the water god, as both screams of fear and chuckles of fun, exited their cute little maws. Chaos enjoyed this. It wasn't often he could have fun like this.

He spun around. The green orbs in his head shot daggers at the two beings trekking down the bridge. _He_ was back. And he was carrying Tikal.

TIKAL!

His legs bucked down, and he leaped up. His body cleared high in the sky, before landing on the earth right before the bridge. The two beings stopped. Just as the water god expected, Tikal was there. Resting in the cloaked one's arms. _His_ arms. Chaos 3 did not like the sight of it. He reached his head up, and let out a violent and Jurassic roar. The beings were pushed back by the roar, but they remained adamant either way.

"Shut up you!" Lien-Da ordered, "Or else you'll draw everyone over here!"

That didn't make the water god happy. He stepped forward with a violent step. He landed on the bridge before the two beings, and continued to step forward. From his hide, aquatic tentacles appeared. Immediately, Lien-Da stepped back. Finitevus, on the other hand, stood firm.

"I don't like where this is going, Finitevus," Lien-Da said, "Normally, I'd enjoy things with such girth, but I'm don't think he has the same ideas in mind. Do that thing you'd say you'd do!"

Once again, Chaos 3 stepped forward. The footstep caused a quake to travel. Finitevus, not showing fear, merely lifted the body of Tikal up high. That made Chaos stop. The albino echidna smiled a dangerous grin, before dropping the echidna to the earth. Her fall would have been violent, had Chaos 3's tentacle's not grabbed her before she fell. He immediately brought her to his body, being sure to check her of any injuries. There were none, but there was something out-of-place. Her body started glowing.

Suddenly, noises started sprouting from the stone doors that lead to the Emerald Altar. Chaos' call finally got some people to come, much to Lien-Da's rage. She turned to Finitevus, but the echidna stood his ground. He merely stood forward, as Tikal's body continued to glow brighter and brighter. And then he smiled.

"I recommend you put her down, Chaos..." he warned, "Or else..."

But Chaos did not heed his warning. Instead, he absorbed Tikal into his body, hoping to stop this shine. It didn't work. In fact, he started to feel sick because of it. Chaos started to feel _sick_. He grew queasy, and started to hunch his way back and forth. Finitevus started to laugh at the sight, as the water god failed to keep his balance. Finally, he fell, and his body splashed across the earth.

That was it. Somehow, Chaos 3, with all his power, had been defeated. All that left of him, was the droplets of his body, two Chaos Emeralds, and Tikal.

Lien-Da quickly ran up to the echidna's body, as the loud bickering from behind the doors grew louder and louder. It didn't take long for her to realize the lack of Emerald.

"You fucked up, Finitevus!" she yelled, "There's only two Emeralds, not three!"

"The water god is hiding it," Finitevus said, lifting the orange echidna, "To be honest, I'm surprised he's alive. I put enough energy in that girl to kill a god, though it seems I'm wrong. Regardless, I have a Chaos Emerald already, let's go."

"Finitevus, you're insane!" Lien-Da retorted, "There's only seven Emeralds, not eight!"

"Hey! You either accept my words, or you stay behind and get killed by these brutes!"

"I go with option one!"

Finitevus nodded. Raising his hand, he revealed it to be clad in a silver gauntlet. Lien-Da didn't fight back against his words, and instead took the two Chaos Emeralds from the ground. Suddenly, Finitevus' glove started to shake, as lights sprouted from its palm. The stone doors opened up. Finitevus and Lien-Da vanished into thin air.

"Dammit Millikan! I told you to stay back!" Ticab ordered.

He was at the forefront of a group of echidnas, all armed with spears, and some half-dressed. They all heard the screams of a dinosaur, anyone with a brain could. They just had to investigate it.

"I'm here to help, Ticab," she yelled, "Jeeze, why are you so mean!"

"Listen Millikan, this isn't a place for girls like you! Just go home!"

She pouted, and once he turned his back, she stuck her tongue out at him. But then, something caught sight out the corner of her blue gaze. She followed the sight in fear and confusion, and moved up the long stairs of the Altar.

Then she screamed. Screamed louder than any being could ever do. All the echidna men in the area looked up to the girl, like she was a mad woman. But once they noticed why she was screaming, some of them started screaming too. They all knew it, they all saw it, but only Ticab had the energy to speak first.

"THE MASTER EMERALD!" he cried, "IT'S GONE!"

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Holy crap! Another long one!? I gotta stop writing these dang things! Seriously!_

_Anyway, this was a blast to write. I haven't written a fight scene in a while, I believe the last time was Long, Long, Night, though I think Starlight was the fight that's more along the lines of what I'm talking about. Also, the story got jiggy with the romance! Everyone wins! We have inner turmoils, and outer turmoils! Woo-hoo!_

_Anywho, I need to apologize for something. __This is the first time I've used Lien-Da in a story, so writing her in a fight was just so much fun! But I think I made her too strong. I mean, yeah, on any real day, Shadow would annihilate her, but from what you all remember, I have a semi crush on the echidna. Yes musicalocelot I do, happy now!? So writing this, I thought I was making her stronger than she actually. In the comics, she is well trained, especially with whips. So, when translating that into this story, I made her a dominatrix like warrior. That sounds like both the scariest thing, and coolest thing ever. I mean, an enemy who enjoys pain as much as she enjoys inflicting it? How do you beat that? And that's why Shadow couldn't just straight up own this chick. To her, pain feel's kind of good. Granted, I'd never understand the allure of femdom or maledom or whatever -dom you wanna say, so yeah. Ugh. I better stop before things get to creepy. Besides, you should be thanking me. If I made her weak, this fight would have sucked big time!_

___And Chaos 3! He's never seen in Sonic Adventure, so I had to come up with how he looked in this form. I got the idea of a raptor thanks to his skill cards in Sonic Battle. I remember his walking state card said he had a movement like a dinosaur. Funny, cause he was slow as molasses. I think even Gamma was faster than his tail! It makes me think, if dinosaurs were that slow, then why are people freaking out about them in movies? I could outrun a T-rex if Chaos' speeds are true. Anyway, because of that card, I thought it would be cool if Chaos 3 had a raptor for a form, or a miniature T-rex like one. So that's what I gave him. He looks pretty awesome in my head, if you ask me, then again, you can't see him, can you? Just use that imagination of yours, okay?_

___Plus, I have to apologize, again, for Lien-Da's nature. She's very, how you say, sexual in this. Even the battle between her and Shadow was very double-entendre like. Hell, she makes a reference to tentacle porn close to the end! Clearly, I'm having way to much fun with her character. I need to stop, or else._

___G1 Starscream. The dude who doesn't believe in giving up._

___Maverick Kay Prime_


	20. Farewell, Fair Cielo Isla

Farewell, Fair Cielo Isla

I told you I'd break you.

Her words resonated in his head, over and over again. For the first minute or two, he wasn't even sure he was hearing it, for he remembered nothing of the battle from last night. It wasn't until he felt bugs slide across his muzzle, and the feeling of grass on his skin, that he gained the ability to see.

Crimson eyes opened up quickly, along with a body that jerked up. He looked to his left and to his right, searching for any kind of answers. He felt sweaty, for some reason, and realized it was because of the heat. The sun was out, and up high, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It wasn't the morning sun, either, this was the afternoon sun, quite possibly the hottest time in the day. How long had he been sleeping?

Getting to his feet was a near impossible ordeal. With every movement he made, he felt pain course through his body. The aches normally centered around areas on his body where he had been hit, which was every inch of his body, it seemed. It became to hard to move as time went by, for he found it hard to stand, or even want to stand. The pain was just becoming way too much. And all he had to thank for it, was a cackling echidna witch.

Now he remembered.

With pain moving through within him, he started off for the city. Cielo Isla wasn't too far off from the Chao Ruins, but with his quaking body, he was sure the trip would be much longer. And unfortunately, he was right. He traveled along the stone laden fields, missing steps every now and then, as he tried to focus his eyes forward. The walls of the city were getting closer with each step, though it didn't give him much solace. He could feel something wrong in the air, as if things just weren't right.

But why? Why weren't they right? Hopefully, he'd find answers once he got to the city itself. The city found him, however.

A group of echidna warriors were running about the fields, all in different directions, all with frantic images drawn on their faces. The hedgehog was unsure what he was supposed to make out from the sight? During his unconsciousness, had the Nocturnus Tribe done something to the city? Possibly, he wasn't going to hold it beyond them. But what could it have been, that had all the Knuckles Tribesmen so worked up? He both wanted to know, and didn't want to know. One thought stood beyond the rest.

The thought of a certain echidna girl.

What if something happened to Tikal? The woman he fought last night obviously had a grudge against the nubile princess, primarily because of the lightning bolt that fell upon her. If she held that much rage, and she could fight him to a standstill, then there was no telling what she would do to Tikal. The thought of it made him move forward, and faster. But he didn't get too far.

"Starman!"

He jerked away. It was Ticab. The sight of the echidna man calmed Shadow's nerves, but not by much.

Ticab broke away from his group of armed warriors, so he could come to the hedgehog's side. He could see the pain in Shadow's eyes and body, so he knew the hedgehog had quite a fight. Reaching out his hand, he put forth the best smile he could muster. Shadow could tell the ruse behind it, however. Something did happen last night, something important.

"Ticab," he murmured, grabbing the echidna's hand, "What happened."

"That's what I want to ask you, Starman," he answered, "Where were you last night? What happened to you?"

The hedgehog's eyes grew into a squint, as he thought on the battle he had last night.

"It doesn't matter," Ticab said, dismissing his own words, "You are needed. The city's elders wish to have a council with you."

"I can't!" the hedgehog answered, "Tikal, I need to go to Tikal!"

"Starman..." Ticab said, growing silent.

"What, Ticab?"

"Starman... Tikal isn't here."

He said it so low, and so distantly, as if he himself didn't believe the words. But he said it, and it was out there. And it got a rise out of Shadow he wasn't expecting.

"Where!?" the hedgehog roared, "Where is she!?"

"We don't know," Ticab answered, gazing to the floor, "And that's not all... The Master Emerald, and three of the remaining emeralds were taken as well. Chief Pachacamac has us forming search parties, so we can find them but... it's not going well..."

"I'll help," the hedgehog said, glancing away, "Where do we start looking."

"No, Starman," Ticab answered, "The elders really wish to speak to you. And from what my father has said. It doesn't sound good."

…

She grimaced at the feeling. Sure the girl on her back was light, but that didn't make her feel the least bit better. This annoying little brat did drop a lightning bolt of heavenly proportions on her freaking head. Yes, she still hung up over that, and she always will. Vengeance was something she looked forward too in all hours of her life. And the vengeance she would wreak upon this girl would be the greatest.

"How much farther, Finitevus?" she asked, showing blatant anger.

The albino bodied echidna looked to her in annoyance, while a huff escaped his lips.

The trio lied in the middle of the desert, trudging along the lands. Their feet sunk into the shifting sands, but more so on her end, seeing as she was carrying another person on her back. The blistering hot sun gazed upon them, and it was at that time that Lien-Da began to regret the black color scheme of her clothing. She had even removed her armor, some time ago, only for black leather to lie right under that. She really needed to think up a better wardrobe piece.

They weren't so far from the city of Cielo Isla, despite the fact that Finitevus could apparently warp. The dominating echidna should have surely questioned her ally's lack of use of the technique, but she thought it better not too. Sooner or later, she'd meet the albino's employer, and learn why he cared so much for his niece.

"You are trying my patience, Lien-Da," he stated, "Just shut your mouth and wait. We will be arriving soon."

"Did you really say that, to me!?" she barked, hand moving to her whip, "After all I've done for you!? I fought a demi-god back there, Finitevus! So don't test me!"

"You fought a mere man," the echidna answered, "One that is nowhere near the demigod like power you speak of."

"Could have fooled me," she answered, "Enough of this talk! We're traveling through Sandoopolis Zone, Finitevus, the deadliest place on all this island. How much longer do we have to go?"

"Glyphic Canyon is right outside of hear, you idiot," he snarled, "Now shut up and keep moving."

Oh boy did she want to snap his neck. She could have done it too. She could have easily dropped this girl on the sands, wrapped her whip around the albino's neck, and break it just as easily as she thought it. But of course, she didn't. If that bastard had the other Chaos Emeralds, then she would have to continue this foolish little game. And continue it she would. Besides, she wanted to meet this employer of his. Who asks a madman like Finitevus, for help with anything?

"Foo... Shadow..."

In unison, the two echidnas gazed back.

Tikal said that, and her eyes were quivering. The shook very briefly, at first, and then a yawn escaped her lips. She increased the hold unconsciously held on Lien-Da, before yawning out even greater than before. Then she gazed forward, and saw the Nocturnus Tribeswoman gazing back. Immediately, she fell back.

She crashed into the shifting sands of Sandoopolis, being nearly drowned in its aquatic proportions. Lien-Da grabbed a hold of her, however, pulling her up from the sands. The nubile princess tried to focus her eyesight, but the tranquilizer from last night still had her mind in flux. She could barely think, let alone fight them off. Didn't stop her from trying.

"Calm the fuck down!" Lien-Da barked, "You aren't getting anywhere you little harlot!"

But she wouldn't accept those words. The moment her face pulled up from the sands, her teeth were out and full. She clamped them down on the Nocturnus woman's arm, puncturing her skin. She heard her scream, and the grip she held on her hand, loosened. Tikal fell back, and felt her body being engulfed by the violently shifting sands.

Lien-Da struggled with her bitten hand, while Finitevus ran to her side. He was angry, she could tell, she just didn't give a crap.

"You idiot!" he yelled, "We need that girl! Go and get her!"

"I will, I will!" she yelled.

She grabbed a hold of her whip, and secured it at her hip, while she grabbed a knife from her belt, and placed it in her teeth. The next thing she knew, she was diving face first into a river of roaring sand. She felt the small burning fragments, glide across her skin, cutting and making her growl. But she didn't care. She moved deeper and deeper into the sands, and soon, the sunlight was drowned out, by darkness.

Tikal fell back first, on a hard stone slab. She groaned out in pain, while her blue eyes gazed up to the dark ceiling. All around her, she saw hieroglyphics, created by her people's past. Yes, it was all here, all detailed in a rich history. When the seven Chaos Emeralds were forged by the gods, and how the people learned from them. How the Master Emerald was created later, in order to bring balance to the Emeralds. When the Phoenix used the Master Emerald in conjunction with the Chaos Emeralds to form the Super Emeralds. Yes, it was all here, and then some.

But she couldn't enjoy it. Not with her eyesight so blurry. She struggled to her feet, and coughed out violently. She couldn't even remember how she got here, or why. It took her a few minutes to remember what happened. The dream of Shadow fighting, the attack on her the following night. It made her realize how much she had survived. But why did she survive it? Why hadn't they killed her, the Emerald Guardian? What business do they have in store for her? Speaking of which.

She witnessed that black figure fall from the ceiling. It landed on its two feet, and dropped a small silver knife from its mouth. Tikal grow fearful of the being, while it gave a sadists grin.

"I got you now, princess!" she sneered, "And there's no way for you to run!"

She dropped down, and grabbed her knife, while her other hand snapped out that whip. She caused a crackle to rocket through the air, while her indigo eyes pierced the dark air. All the sands poured around them, filtering out, and going somewhere else. Tikal gazed elsewhere, seeing no exit as she did so. She gazed back up, and saw the red furred woman step forward, her dreads swishing in the cold, nonexistent, wind.

There was no place to go, no place to hide. Her feet continued to bring her back though, while the other woman's feet constantly moved forward. Her seductive, sadistic smile continued to grow, as she got ever so closer. And Tikal. She lifted her fists.

Lien-Da stopped. She wasn't expecting the orange furred girl to fight back. It took her a bit to remember that she _is _the Master Emerald Guardian, after all. It made her growl.

"Finally going to fight, are you princess?" she asked, rhetorically.

Tikal didn't want to fight. She really didn't want to. Fighting was wrong, but in this position, she had no choice. Besides, _he_ did say it wasn't evil to protect one's self.

"Yes..." she answered, "I am going to fight..."

Lien-Da laughed at her words, finding it to be cute. Like a child trying to be threatening.

"Ya'know," she said, "I would be angrier. Had that bite not been so good..." suddenly her face bent down in anger, "But you know what doesn't feel good? Having a lightning bolt fall on your head. Let's see if I can return that gesture!"

She caused her whip to crack in the air. And then she leaped forward.

Tikal leaped out-of-the-way, just as Lien-Da got to her position. The red echidna tucked and rolled, however, quickly returning to her feet some ways away. She lifted her whip, and struck at Tikal's position, making the princess jump away. She landed on the wall, where her knuckles punched into the wall. Climbing up, she heard the dominating woman's whip, snap at the area's she traveled. Lien-Da grew angered by the princess' dodging, and that caused her to increase her efforts. Her wild whipping constantly pierced the air, and it was getting closer. Tikal was sure if she let this happen, she'd be feeling a certain pain she didn't want to feel. So, one whip later, she leaped off.

Falling through the cramped area, she glided toward Lien-Da. The woman was caught off guard by the tactic, for she was never taught how to glide on her dreads. It made Tikal smile. She tackled Lien-Da full force to the earth, dragging her a few yards as she did so. Once they stopped, she brought up her fist, and glared down to the woman beneath her body.

She was smiling.

"Wanna try that again?" she asked, much to Tikal's confusion.

Suddenly, she was up, and in the air. Despite Lien-Da's lithe body, she was actually pretty strong. She slammed Tikal into the earth, and wrapped her whip around her neck. And she started choking her. The whip's grip grew tighter and tighter with each second, while Lien-Da laughed like a wicked witch. Stronger, and stronger, as seconds melted by. Tikal was finding it hard to breathe, as she let out many groans of pain and hurt. She wouldn't be defeated though, not like this.

She rushed forward, head first. It slammed into the dominating woman's head, causing her to step back, and release the grip she held on the whip. Once she left her body, Tikal hopped to her toes. Her cerulean eyes locked hard on Lien-Da's frame, as the whip wielding woman started to sway.

"It's gonna take more than that," she stated, with a laugh, "To take care of me."

Tikal started to fret. A headbutt like that should have at least caused her pain. Why was she still conscious, and why was she laughing? This was another reason why she disliked fighting. It made no sense, and occasionally, you'd have to fight nutcases like her.

Lien-Da caused her whip to crack the air. Shooting her indigo eyes forward, she began the brawl anew. She ran forward, with a step so silent, her whip flailing in the air. Once she arrived, Tikal threw her fist forward. The attack was grabbed by Lien-Da, who countered with a kick. Using her free hand, Tikal blocked the attack. She pulled her fist from Lien-Da's hand a moment later, and used it to punch forward again. That dominatrix quickly ducked down, and reached her hands forward. She grabbed Tikal around the waist, held her up, then slammed her into the earth. The nubile princess lifted her hands, while Lien-Da started to punch down on her. She blocked some of the hits, and then tossed to woman off of her by way of bucking up her feet. Lien-Da landed on the earth away, and rolled to her feet. Tikal got to her feet as well.

Silence.

Tikal stepped forward. Lien-Da matched her step. They started running at each other, and one of them through a punch. A new tussle was born, one of fists, kicks, and random bites as well.

Above all, staring upon the room from outside, was Finitevus. He smiled at the sight of the warring women, finding it to be quite an alluring sight. But most of it centered around the orange furred echidna. So much like her mother, she was. So strong, and with that eyesight. She may have disliked fighting, but her body sure didn't. And quite the body. It would hold Enerjak perfectly. As long as Lien-Da didn't damage it too much.

He pulled up his hand. The silver glove around it shimmered greatly in the desert sun. He needed to stop this fighting, and now. The glove started surging with Chaos Energy. He look down to Tikal. Pulling back his hand, he thrusted it a second later, and sent a yellow blast of energy flying forward.

Tikal blocked a kick from Lien-Da, loosing her footing a bit as she did so. A wild noise suddenly got her ear, however. Glaring up, she saw a yellow blast. There was nothing she could do, other than stare. The blast slammed into her body, causing wild surges of pain to rush inside her body. Pain she had never felt before. The next thing she knew, everything was going black. She fell onto her knees, and then onto her face.

"Shadow..." she let out, as the darkness took a hold of her.

"What the fuck!?" Lien-Da yelled with rage and annoyance, "Finitevus!"

"You were taking to long," Finitevus said, "Now hurry up. We have a job to do."

…

"Tikal..." he let out.

The hedgehog stared at the ceiling above him. The candles were burning brightly in this area. Much brighter than he expected. In front of him, was Millikan. She was wearing a dress, much different from what he was expecting. She looked downright terrible as well, as if she had been running all night and all day. Then again, the Master Emerald was taken from her people, so she had the right to be freaking out like this. Even if it was in silence.

"The elders, Starman." she said, lying her hand on a sheet covered door.

He nodded to her words, and his hands pushed it open. The fox tugged on his shoulder briefly, however, causing him to stop. He looked into her eyes, seeing sadness, and unsureness gazing back. Whoever these elders were, it had the girl all shook up. Still, he had people to talk to. He broke from her grasp, gazed forward, and stepped in.

The room was just as magnificent as he was expecting. A circular platform lied in the center of this room, with water pooling around it. On the platform, the imprint of a god. What god it was, the hedgehog didn't know. He gazed up then. The room had an open ceiling to it, with the sun gazing through.

"Starman..." a call was given.

The hedgehog brought his eyes up. Staring at him, on a balcony much higher than the one he stood on, was the chief. Immediately, the hedgehog crossed his arms, shooting daggers at the chief. Pachacamac reciprocated that feeling, by shooting him back a glare of equal intensity. Shadow traveled his eyes away from the chief, seeing three other balconies as he did so. There were other echidnas there, echidnas he didn't noticed before.

Bicab was there, gazing at him through those Sight Enhancers of his. One another balcony, another echidna. A priest in fact, one Shadow had seen at the temple of the gods before. And on the last balcony, another echidna. A woman.

All four of them gazed down upon him, with these sharp eyes, and all was silent. That silence was killing Shadow.

"Starman," Bicab said aloud, "This, is priest Torlock, and Shaman Adia."

Thankful for Bicab's words, the hedgehog nodded. Now he just had to wait for their words.

"Tell me, Starman," the Adia thus spoke out, "Why are you here?"

Funny. Of all questions, that was the last one he was suspecting. The hedgehog gazed up to the older echidna woman gazing back at him. His mouth opened to answer her words, but nothing came out. He ended up staring in silence. That made the woman smile.

"I see... I see... Tell me, Starman, what god sent you?" she added.

The hedgehog's eyesight squinted. Everyone in the room was waiting for his answer, waiting for anything. Including himself. When he finally got the will to speak, the words came out opposite of what he wished to say.

"Why does it matter?" he inquired.

Silence.

"It matters a lot, Starman," the priest, Torlock said, "Gifts from the Gods do not happen often. And we want to know why? Why did they send you, for what reason?"

The hedgehog gazed down to the ground. He had no reason to be here, honestly. He wasn't sent by a god, or the heavens. He was just here because of some stupid mistake, with an experimental jet.

"Are you, a gift from the gods?" Adia inquired.

The hedgehog grew silent. He wasn't going to lie. Not now, not ever.

"No..." he whispered, loud enough so they could hear it, "My name is Shadow the hedgehog. I'm no gift from no god."

This silence came, and lasted for a while.

"So... you lied to us?" Pachacamac inquired, breaking the lack of words.

"I told no lies," he said, gazing up, "You and your people thought I was a god. I just never corrected you all."

"So you enjoyed the fruits of our labor, _Shadow_?" Pachacamac asked. The way he said his name, it made Shadow's skin crawl.

"I never wanted too," he answered, "You brought me in. All I wanted to do, was find a way home, an action I would have found impossible to do, had it not been for Tikal."

He watched the life flush from Pachacamac's face. He had gotten something out of him.

"That's why all this is useless," the hedgehog added, "Tikal is gone, so is the Master Emerald, and Chaos Emeralds! We need to stop this talking, and get a move on, or else!"

"No, Shadow," Pachacamac answered, "_We_ need to find my daughter, the Master Emerald, and Chaos Emeralds. You, you must leave."

The hedgehog cocked his head at the words.

"You have lied to us, Shadow the hedgehog. And in your lies, you have brought our enemies to our city, causing theft of things that our beyond your understanding. We made our decision far before you arrived, hedgehog."

"And what decision is that?" he inquired.

"Banishment... You are to never, set foot in Cielo Isla, or any settlement of the Knuckles Tribe, ever again. Do I make myself clear?"

"Loud and clear, Chief," the hedgehog snarled, "Do things your way. But I _will_ save Tikal, regardless of what you say or do."

Surely, the rest of them wanted to say something, anything, but Shadow wasn't having it. He turned around, and marched his way out of the room. And he continued to march, march out of the building, and onto the streets. He could care less about their words, or anything. He wasn't going to let Tikal remain in their hands, whoever they were. And he was going to crush anyone who said otherwise.

He marched his way down the wild streets, and got his way down to the Master Emerald Altar. It was true. The remaining Emeralds, and Master Emerald was gone. But something felt odd. As if he could _feel_ a Chaos Emerald. Only one being had the knowledge of it, however.

"Chaos!" he called out, "Chaos, you there!?"

She watched water pool in from the staircase. They dragged down pristine white floors, and eventually arrived to the earth. Green orbs gazed back up at him, and they looked pitiful. Shadow actually felt sad for the water god, as he knelt down to meet him.

"Chaos... Tikal has been kidnapped, and I need your help."

The god's puddled body rippled briefly, giving no words to the hedgehog. Well, kind of. He actually started to, _understand_ him.

_Can't... Help..._ a voice got into his head, surely coming from Chaos _To... Sick... Barely... Move..._

"What do you mean?" he asked.

_Did... Something... Took... Emeralds... I... Failed... No... Help..._

"That's why I came to you, Chaos! Do you have anything that could help? Could you at least help me find her?"

_Have... Something... Only... Thing... I... Trust... You... Bring... Back!_

The puddle of his body began to ripple again. It shook violently, and then Shadow saw something shiny and green gaze back. A Chaos Emerald.

"But... I thought they took them all?"

_Hid... One... I... Have... It... They... Have... Another..._

"Another?" Shadow asked, "As in... an _eighth_ Chaos Emerald?"

_Yes... Need... Rest... Now... Don't... Fail... Me... Tikal... Save... Tikal..._

Shadow grabbed the Emerald, and held it in his hand. All the Chaos Powers he thought he lost, felt good as new, as he held the Emerald in his hand. Whether that was true, or his mind was playing tricks on him, he didn't know. Regardless.

Chaos 0 moved back up the Emerald Altar steps, surely to return to one of its many ponds. Shadow grasped the Emerald tightly in his hand, and focused on the powers it was handing him. He would save Tikal, no matter what.

"Gonna just leave now?" a voice called behind.

Immediately, the hedgehog jolted up in fear. Turning around, he saw a burgundy furred echidna staring back, with a smile. The sight of which both relieved the hedgehog, and placed urgency within him.

"Bicab," he said, "What do you want?"

"Gonna just leave now," he repeated, whilst adding, "While taking the only Emerald we have?"

The hedgehog grew tense at his words, and his ruby eyes snapped to the green rock in hand. This wasn't good.

"I was going to return it..." the hedgehog said.

"After what? You save Tikal?"

Shadow nodded.

"I have too... Whatever they're planning, I know I can stop it."

"Stop trying to be a hero, Starman," Bicab stated, "There's no need for you to walk off, get lost, and die. Why don't you go home?"

"I can't," the hedgehog answered, "My home is nowhere near."

"Then why? Why are you doing this?"

"I don't know!" the hedgehog yelled, "I... I just need to save Tikal! I need to make sure she's alright! I need... her..."

"Do you love her, Starman? Do you love Tikal...?"

Shadow couldn't believe it. Sure, the feelings were there before, but he didn't want to admit it. The thought of Tikal somewhere, scared, frightened, hurt, it angered him! Angered him in ways he never thought. He would kill them all if they laid a finger on Tikal. And then he realized it. Yes. He did love her.

He nodded. Though he did so, not by his own fruition. As if he _needed_ to nod. Like his body would do nothing, but nod.

"I see..." Bicab answered, "I see..."

Suddenly, Shadow felt the echidna's hand on his shoulder. It brought the hedgehog's eyesight up. He gazed at him, and he gazed back. Bicab smiled.

"There's a place called Hydrocity Zone, Starman. It lies underneath this land, and sprawls on endlessly. Anywhere you need to go, that place will have an exit there, you just need to find out where they're holding Tikal."

"How?"

"If they have the Emeralds, and Master Emerald, then you don't have to worry..." Bicab smiled, "You've been around us for so long, I think you've picked up enough of our culture, to know how to get there, Starman."

"Why are you doing this?" Shadow inquired.

"You may not be a gift from the gods in the orthodox way, Shadow, but there is a reason why you're here. The heavens work in mysterious ways, ya'know. Maybe. Just maybe. We needed you for this one thing."

Suddenly, Bicab walked away. Behind him, two things Shadow hadn't seen since all this started. He lifted these objects, and brought up Shadow's old gloves, and his Air Shoes, both of which looked as good as new. The sight of it lifted the hedgehog's spirits.

"We've been working on them for days, Millikan and I. We think we've gotten them to work like old again."

"I don't know what to say, Bicab."

"Thanks, would be nice! But in all honesty. Just don't hurt Tikal. She loves you, Starman."

"I know..."

He grabbed tightly onto his old gloves and shoes. Facing old iron worker, he slammed his fists, into the echidna's. Bicab smiled, and then disappeared, over the course of time, leaving Shadow alone.

The hedgehog couldn't help but to laugh. Just like the present, it seemed, he wasn't meant for this time. Banished from people who honored and respected him, but you know what, he didn't care. Tikal, was all he cared for, and he needed to get her. Or else.

So slipping into his old shoes and gloves, he felt rejuvenated. And facing off for the distance, he prepared for the coming quest. This was it. He peered at the Emerald in hand, and saw Tikal's reflection in it. It made him nod.

The flames from his shoes' jets ignited, and he dashed off for the horizon.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Yes, about what though, I don't know! I guess I could go on about Lien-Da some more, but I'm not. Not much at least._

_Anyway, this chapter is kind of short-long. I wasn't expecting it to get this long, honestly, but I needed things to start happening. I guess the fight scene with Lien-Da was kind of unnecessary, but this is half action, ya'know, so why not? Besides, it shows Finitevus' plans are starting to come through. What plans? He's already alluded to them, so you'll see._

_The names of the other two elders is an interesting thing. I didn't go to in depth with them, sense I needed them for just one scene, but their names are references to something else. The priest, Torlock, is named after that dude from the Legend of Korra. The water bender who was freaking awesome! I'm not sure if I spelled the name right, but anyway, when we watched that show, we used to compare him to Knuckles, based solely on his hair. It became an inward joke among my siblings to call him Knuckles' uncle. Adia, is different. Her name comes from the first stage of Turok 2: Seeds of Evil, the Port of Adia. Why? Well, Turok is a Native American so... Wait, he's a native american, not a Mayan. Oh well._

_Jeeze, not much to say it seems. I could talk about Lien-Da, but that's just gonna make me seem creepy. So instead, I'm going to wet your lips with some knowledge. Ya'know, get you hyped for the next chapter. We'll be revealing our next, and main, villain of this piece. The fellow who's been sending Finitevus throughout all of this. He's been spoken to earlier, so you'll see. Who it is? I think you know._

_My name is Knuckles, and unlike Sonic I don't chuckle, I'd rather flex my muscles!_

_Which is bull crap cause that guy chuckles like a hundred times in Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Freakin liar._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	21. Villains Unite

Villains Unite

He pulled his head forward. The sensation of it all, rushing past his face, his eyes, glaring through the clearness, his hands, holding on for dear life. It could push past him all it liked, but he wouldn't give in. He would fight, and fight, and fight, if he had too, all for _her _sake. Boy, what a man would do, for a woman.

Air, he needed air. His hand quickly thrusted up above the rushing streams, latching onto a wet ledge as he did so. His lungs were screaming now, needing that life giving substance. Faster, and faster, the water seemed to rush, as if trying to tear him from his hold. If only his shoes worked underwater, though now was not the time to worry about that. He increased the grip he held on the ledge out of water, and pulled. His hand slipped briefly, but he wouldn't give in. He continued his hold, and forced his strength through his arms.

His nose poked through the stream. He gasped in that air. His muzzle and lips were next, allowing him to breathe that lovely air. He peered up to the lights above. The many vents that stuck on the ceiling, allowed the hedgehog to see the shimmers of sunlight. And it was beautiful, to say the least.

His other hand latched on the ledge next, and he pulled himself up. Falling on the ledge, he breathed in and out violently. Climbing is hard, yes, but climbing against rushing water that never ends? That's near impossible. Somehow he did it though, only to be granted by the image of Sonic's stone mug.

He glared at the stone apparition of the rivaling blue hedgehog, and raised his eyebrow. In fact, this hole, upper ceiling area, had Sonic's all around it. Placed on hanging ceilings it seemed. Did the echidna's understand the prophetic images of the blue dude with the attitude, or was the universe just messing with Shadow's head? Whatever it was, the black and red hedgehog didn't want to deal with the blue one's face. He turned away, and gazed down to the highway of tubes, walls, slopes, and water, most definitely water.

Hydrocity Zone. A long, half submerged, metropolis. What this place was doing here was a mystery to the Starman. Was it just a huge sewer system? If it was, it was the cleanest, biggest, sewer system in all the land, past, present, or future. Then again, the thought of swimming in an overgrown sewer system, was a thought Shadow didn't want in his head. He was going to stick with the submerged city idea.

He peered down to the highways, and nodded. It was either now, or never.

He leaped.

His hands were pointed forward, as he rushed up to the water. He could already anticipate the hit, and so he braced for the impact. Maybe it would hurt from this height, maybe not. In his head, it didn't matter. Just do it for her, he repeated to himself, over and over again.

He pierced through. Water was thrown skywards, as bubbles surrounded his underwater body. He peered through all of it, however, and began swimming. Unlike his hated blue foe, he actually learned how to swim. Yet again, something he learned from Maria.

His aquatic skills seemed to do him good too, sense his air shoes didn't work underwater, and running one the submerged floor is hell. He swam accordingly along the walls of the Hydrocity, eventually coming to a pipeline. A strong current overtook him then, and forcibly brought him to said pipe. He slipped in, and on instinct, rolled into a ball. He could feel his body being brought up, and down, and all around, before being thrusted into the air. His eyes opened, finding that he was, yet again, over a pool of water. Giving a growl, he dove in.

The slammed through the water's surface, and landed onto the roads underneath. Gazing forward with those ruby eyes, he scanned the miles he had left to trek. In all honesty, the thought of running through this metropolis was a great one. Maybe one day, in the future, he would return to Angel Island, and enjoy the city in its entirety. Now, however, he had bigger fish to fry.

He lurched down, pointed his hands forward, then torpedoed forth. He corkscrewed through the waves, maintaining his speed with his expert swimming skills. He made his way to a runway then, and being the man he was, he started to rush alongside it. Sure, it was hard, with the underwater friction fighting against him, but he didn't care. He continued to force his body on, eventually gaining speeds on par with a natural athlete. It may have been slower than his wanted speed, but it would do.

He eventually made his way to an area with a, seemingly, bottomless pit. Not wanting to fall down there and drown, he swam over the area. But of course, life would have its fun with him. The pit began to pull on him, putting forth a great suction force. The hedgehog would have growled, but that would take precious air away from him. So he was torn inside, and plunged into a great valley of darkness.

The hedgehog was tossed and turned inside, giving off little resistance, and only bracing for the inevitable. Finally, light. Sunlight, it seemed. The hedgehog was forced into a compact tunnel, it seemed, and the water began to swarm on his underside. He began rising, higher, and higher, toward this sunlight, as the hole he was forced into began to grow tighter with size. The next thing Shadow knew, he could breathe, and then, he went skyward.

He was tossed high into the air of Hydrocity Zone. He flailed his limbs wildly, as he tried to stabilize his free falling. Finally, his Air Shoes rocketed to life, and kept him up. If the items were at tip top shape, he would have been able to fly straight over all of this. Unfortunately, the fall really did a number on them, and were thus regulated to mere hovering. At least they looked shinier.

The hedgehog fell down, and landed on a dry stone slab. He gazed down to his wet, water drenched fur, and dragged his hands across it. His panting seemed to fill the air, for that was all he was doing. Swimming is hell on one's body, he needed to remember that. So, instead of that tiring crap, he decided to run above all of it. The mere thought of it was a life savor.

He rushed to the edge of the slab he stood on, and gazed over. To his luck, the sidewall grooved into a slope. He leaped over the edge, placed his feet down, and set his Air Shoes ablaze. Now skating, he gave a devilish grin, as the sensation of running returned to his body. Oh, how he loved running. Faster, faster, and faster. The air, the backdrop, the everything, faded away into a blur. He just kept his eyes trained forward on the waters.

If he were anyone, he would have died. He would have hit the water, so hard, he would have been flattened like a pancake. But Shadow the hedgehog is not, 'anyone'. He took to the water like a speed demon, rushing on the waters so fast, he couldn't drop below thanks to gravity. He skated above all of it, moving so fast, that he appeared to be a black shadow. It was times like this, that made his name so fitting.

The water beneath his toes began to rumble. He glared down to it, as the pristine substance began to quake and wave. In a blink of an eye, he was thrown skyward, as the water he stood on geysered straight up in an amazing explosion. He flew high, matching the height he had from the earlier geyser, and then began falling. What was wrong with this place? If this happened once more, he was sure it was the world screwing with him.

He splashed underwater violently, an action that dazed him briefly. He landed on the highways underneath, where an odd noise entered his ears. His crimson orbs darted left and right, as he searched for the cause of the noise. Then he found it.

The walls were closing in on him. Was this on purpose? What was down here that required traps? Whatever the case may be, Shadow really didn't want to be crushed to death. Turning around, he started to run along the submerged highways. Water pelted down on him, keeping him from swimming in any direction other than forward. It pissed him off.

The walls continued to move in on him. He climbed up the walls, paying attention to the impending doom. They just kept moving and moving, reminding him what the consequences for failure was. He started climbing faster, his body pushing forth so much strength and rage. The water began to rush toward him, dragging him down the wall. He would not allow himself to be defeated, however, and he continued to climb. The walls picked up speed, and so did the water. They were really working in tandem to kill him.

But no! He would not be killed this way!

Ripping his hands out of the wall, he started spinning. After he gained the inertia he wished forward, he thrusted forth through the rushing waters. He was thus freed from the pool of water he was trapped in, landing out of it with his fur dripping wet. Glaring back, he actually started growling. At least that trap was over with. Now all he had to face, was three hundred other ones.

His eyes moved forward. Staring back him, rows upon rows of clean, sharp, spikes.

"You have got... to be kidding me..." he groaned.

Hydro-freaking-city Zone.

…

Cold. That's all a she felt. Cold.

Her blue eyes opened forward. Where was she? There was natural light, but it was so small, she almost didn't notice it. A dungeon. That's where she lay. Stuck, somewhere deep, in a dank, dusty, hell hole. Lifting her hand, she dragged it against her lips, cleaning spit and drool from it. That's when she noticed a heavy, cold, silver bracelet around her wrist. She pulled on it, finding a chain holding her back. Her eyebrows raised in a confused glance, as her head turned around. Facing her other hand, she found it to be in the same predicament as the last. Both chained up, by these heavy silver bracelets.

She pulled on them, but she didn't get too far. Especially with this pain surging through her. It was getting hard to move, let alone attempt to. With each movement she made, her body yelled at her for being too impatient and stupid. And when she got the idea to get to her feet, her body _really_ didn't like that idea. As soon as she got to her soles, her knees bent in, and she fell onto them.

Her hand lifted to her head, and rubbing her forehead, she tried to remember the events that led up to this. From what she could put together, she was kidnapped, dragged along Sandoopolis Zone, escaped, had a fight with that leather wearing whip woman, then. That's when things get kind of blurry. She remembered a bright object heading for her, and that's all.

Once again, she tried moving, but, just like last time, this attempt was met with failure. At least she wasn't alone in this depressing dungeon. Gazing around, she saw bugs, lizards, and bones. The area even smelt like something died in it recently. What it was, she really, _really_, didn't want to know. She needed to find a way out. She needed to escape. She needed.

The door opened.

The heavy stone entryway slid open, sending dust and sand skyward. The orange echidna girl wilted back with her eyes close, as she tried to protect her eyes. Footsteps started echoing up next. One, after another, step after step, clearing the distance between the exit and her. She tried not to stare forward. She really didn't. But she did.

Her eyes met the boot of an albino echidna. Cerulean eyes dragging up, she took in the sight of his purple cloak, and then those golden eyes.

Dr. Finitevus.

"Good afternoon, Tikal dear." he said, crouching down.

She merely stared at him. She must have looked so pitiful right now. She sure did feel like it. Her dreads were frizzled and split, her throat felt so pained, and her lips must have been hard. She could even feel it. Then why was this man smiling toward her? What sick evilness did he have in mind?

His hand reached forward, and he grabbed the bottom of her chin. She watched his lips curl into a smile, on that evil muzzle of his.

"Docile, now," he whispered, "Good... makes things easier for me."

She suddenly bit him.

The hand that lay on her chin, entered her mouth in a quick motion. She closed her eyes shut, as desperation and fear took over her. Her teeth, bit down, and tore on the digit in her mouth, piercing it straight through.

And yet, she heard nothing. No screams of pain, no hollers of rage, just nothing.

Her mouth spat out the hand, while her blue eyes opened up. Finitevus was still looking at her, but with absolutely zero emotion on his face.

"How animalistic of you, Tikal," he said, sounding quite disappointed, "I thought you'd be more civilized that this."

"Who are you?" she whispered, her first words since this all started.

The doctor stood tall instead. She watched him, grab the wrist of his hand, while a sigh of disappointment left his lips.

"You know," he whispered, "I should have seen this coming," the digit she bit on was fully damaged, it seemed, for it was hanging on tendons alone, "A cornered rat will bite the cat, after all..." he gripped his wrist tightly, and started to spin it around. Literally, his hand was twirling around in a circular motion, much to Tikal's confused horror, "I'm not like you, Tikal dear," he stated easily, like this was normal, "Ever since that day, so long ago. Your mother. Me. The Emerald Altar," his hand continued to twirl around, "Yup. Akna, such a beautiful woman, honestly. She protected that Emerald with every inch of her life. I supposed its admirable, if it wasn't so damn annoying. Regardless..."

"You..." Tikal interrupted, her eyes started to burn with rage, "You were the man. The one who attacked us that day!?"

Finitevus nodded, but not with a smile.

"Yes, dear, yes. I was... Akna was so strong, the strongest echidna ever, ya'know. You should be proud of your mother, really. She fought my greatest Gizoid, one that was able to kill entire hordes, and has. She fought that thing to a standstill, but more importantly..." his face bent down into rage, "She did _this_ to me! She summoned that lightning bolt, straight from the skies, hit the both of us at the same time. She survived, of course, but me! ME! _This_ was the outcome that befell me. That lightning bolt burnt away every inch of my skin, as well as destroying over 80% of my body," he stopped twirling around his hand, and took it from his wrist. She watched as one of his hands, lay within his other. He dropped it to the ground, reached into his robe, then pulled out another hand. Then he started screwing that one in place of the discarded one, "Yes," he slurred, "As you can see, Tikal, I am no longer of flesh and bone like you. After that attack, I had my Gizoids take me back to my base, where I painstakingly started to replace my body with... _this_. I worked, together with my Gizoids, to make myself the cyborg you see today. But it came with a price..."

A price? A price!? What price!? All she saw was a man who _continued_ to live! Unlike her mother, who _died_ because of that fight! It accelerated the illness that she held within, killing her before she ever got to know her. And this man before her, had the audacity, to speak for sympathy? And Shadow wondered why, she hates the Nocturnus Tribe.

She opened her mouth, and gave a bark, one that stopped the Doctor in his tracks.

"How dare you say that!" she yelled, rage staining her every word, "How dare you, speak as if you deserve sympathy? My mother died because of you, you monster!"

Finitevus stared at her, and his lips curled into a smile.

"Aye," he said, "I understand. I continued to live, while Akna died, huh? Well, I'll have you know, life is not all it seems, dear Tikal. This body, while at first a good idea, had quite the backstabbing. You see, Tikal, I cannot feel. Not the wind on my face, or the sunlight on my body. No food, goes within me, giving me absolutely no pleasure, no tastes or smells, remind me that I am alive. Not even," his hand reached forward, and began sliding across her smooth muzzle, "The touch of a woman."

"And I'm supposed to be sorry for you?" she inquired.

"Aren't angels supposed to pity everyone?"

Why was he doing this? He kidnapped her, had her attacked and shocked, only to ask for some sympathy? It was a ruse, she could tell. Those gold eyes of his spoke only evil, much to her ire. She wanted to watch him _die._ The thought of it made her gaze away in confusion too. She never once wished such a thing upon anyone. Finitevus must have noticed her inner turmoils now, as a chuckle escaped his cold lips.

"What do you want with me?" she asked.

"You shall see," Finitevus responded, his words holding so much terror within them, "I enjoyed your time, my dearest... _niece_."

She caught a hold of the last words. As her ears twitched, she gazed at him with those blue eyes of hers dimming with fear, confusion, terror, and a plethora of other emotions. He stopped near the exit. His head turned to a figure just out of her sight of vision. He whispered something to the figure, then continued on his way.

A boot clad foot stepped in. Tikal followed the sight of the shoes up the legs, and to the visible belly button of a woman much older than her.

Lien-Da gave this sadistic, torturous smirk, while her hand fell to the side. She pulled out the whip hooked to her hip, and started waving it around.

"You don't mind," she said, her hand finding the zipper of her chest, "If I get comfortable, do you?"

She zipped down that zipper, revealing most of her busty chest, while her whip continued to sway. And then that face transformed into one of rage. She raised her whip high, and struck forward.

…

The albino echidna could hear the crack of the whip, as it surely split into skin. Though the thought of walking back _did_ cross his mind, he decided not to act on it. Not when he had such important guests to tend too.

He walked down the dusty halls, passing windows that gave sight to long, sandy, highways. Why Glyphic Canyon of all places, he'd never no. It didn't matter though, because he was getting closer and closer.

He came to a wide room, one with great statues within it. All the statues, were of demonic creatures he had never seen before. Odder still, the statues appeared to be gazing at him, though he could never prove this to be true. It didn't matter though, he just kept walking, only to stop at the entrance.

The door slid open, revealing to him a red furred, green eyed echidna at equal size to him.

"Ah, Demitri," he said, "Finally decided to show up?"

The Imperator of the Nocturnus Tribe didn't show any emotion, however, as he merely crossed his arms.

"Not now, Finitevus," he said, seething with rage, "I'm here only for the Emeralds, you understand? I presume the mission was a success?"

"Oh, greatly, Imperator," Finitevus answered, "But first, I have someone who'd like to meet you."

"Not, now Finitevus!" Dimitri yelled.

"No, Imperator, I swear," he said, "The person who's been helping me with all of this! Helping me make my Gizoids, giving me those powerful new guns, the one sending me to do all of these things. He's taken an eye to you, Dimitri, believes an alliance could be made."

Slowly, the albino echidna reached forth his hand. Dimitri stared at it cautiously, however. He was no fool. He wasn't born yesterday. Trusting someone like Finitevus, was like trusting Satan himself!

Then again, he did want to know how he continued making those Gizoids. He also wanted to know about those new weapons he's made. They were so otherworldly in comparison to what he's seen. And maybe, the man he had an alliance with, was one the Nocturnus Tribe could have an alliance with. If Finitevus' employer was able to make the mad echidna such a threat, then there would be no telling what he could do to the Nocturnus Tribe. Besides. If this all turned out to be a lie and a trap, Dimitri would kill Finitevus himself.

"Fine..." he said, "You've convinced me. Now hurry up, before I change my mind."

He wasn't going to grab Finitevus' hand, finding it to be beneath him. The albino echidna took the message, but didn't grow disheartened. Instead, he smiled.

"Then follow me, Imperator, you will not be disappointed, I promise."

With a swoosh of his cloak, Finitevus turned to lead. And after a few seconds of mental preparation, Dimitri followed. They walked down the halls of this temple, the sounds of whipping echoing in the backdrop. There were cries of pain as well, intermix with these cackles of pleasure. Dimitri would have been disturbed, had he not known that sound of torture of course. Sometimes, he felt, Lien-Da got _too_ much enjoyment from her job.

"How much farther," he asked, impatiently, "I do not like my time to be wasted, Finitevus."

"Oh calm yourself, Imperator," the Doctor replied, "My employer is just through this door."

His hands met the hide of a great door.

It slid open, revealing on the other end, to be a world not of this earth.

Dimitri gazed up and around, while his jaw opened up wide. He couldn't believe what his green eyes were relaying to him. All around him, in these cocoons, were monsters not of this world. Some of them were active, and gazed at him with these soulless white eyes. Others were growing in these capsule like holdings, aging right before his eyes. All of these demonic looking creatures had black skin, with red markings on them. And in the center of it all, an Altar much like that of the Emerald Altar. It was a fake one, created to hold the Emerald in a position it was natural to. All the Emeralds lay on pedestals around it, surely adding their magic to the touch.

But the Imperator cared not. For once in his life, the Emeralds weren't a priority to him. Instead, he wondered about these creatures that lined the walls and ceilings of this room.

"What is all this?" Dimitri asked, gazing up to the monsters surrounding him, "What are they doing there? What are they!?"

"Allow me..." the most demonic voice ever told echoing into his ear.

Dimitri faced Finitevus, who merely smiled. Then he gazed forward, toward the Master Emerald. A great shadow enveloped the area, swallowing everything, save for the Emerald's brilliant light. He saw three burning eyes float toward him, before the shadows escaped.

It was Satan. It had to be. This, _monster_, floated before him. It lacked legs, but it had such a long robe. On said robe, various medallions, necklaces, and gold, all adorned in jewels. Its hands, was bigger than the Imperator's entire head, it had to be. Its head, held a face, but only a face seen in nightmares. Three eyes were on the head, along with a face folded about by its skin.

"You must be, Imperator Dimitri," the demon said, "Normally, I don't like working with others, but as you can tell, things are different now."

"Who are you...?" the stunned Nocturnus Chief questioned.

"Doom," the monster replied, "Black Doom..."

The great monster turned away then, and started floating over toward the Master Emerald. Did so slowly, as if he were some apparition, let alone a monster. He laid his heavy hand on the Master Emerald's hide, and started caressing it slowly.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" the demon asked, "The Master Emerald. Even I, from as far away as I come, know of its power. And these Emeralds are no different."

The devil king made one of the Emeralds float over to him, where he grasped it tightly. His three burning eyes peered directly into the blue Emeralds shimmering glow, while that grip of his continued to tighten.

"Just what are you!?" Dimitri's voice called out.

Black Doom made the Emerald fly away, and return to the pedestal from which it came. His three burning snakes then shifted over to the Nocturnus Imperator, where he grew silent. Deep down, Dimitri started to regret his words, but he sure as hell didn't show it. The monster lord floated slowly over, and his hand reached forward.

"The Black Arms," the demon answered, "A race far beyond your... _puny_ brain," he shifted his gaze away to the monsters around him, "We have been traveling the universe for millenniums now, searching feverishly for food, to sustain us. Mobius has proven to be quite the delicacy."

"So, what," Dimitri posed, "You're an... alien?"

"Just hungry travelers," Black Doom, the alien lord, answered, "Searching for a place to stay. These great temples, shaped like the bird, that you now stay in, were all transported here by me. The stones that watch you, are me."

"So... what do you want, Black Doom?" Dimitri inquired.

"In order to feed my people, I need the seven Chaos Emeralds. High above, my mother ship, the Black Comet, is in space. I need the Emeralds to get them down here, to the earth."

"What!?" Dimitri barked, "Finitevus, you snake!" he then faced him, while his face showed nothing but fervent rage, "You promised me those Emeralds!"

"Calm yourself, Imperator," Black Doom said, making the echidna stop, "I will only need the Emeralds for a little while. Once the Ritual of Prosperity is complete, then you can have the Emeralds. Granted, I wonder why you would wish for such... _rocks_..."

The alien lord floated over to the Master Emerald. Gazing down to the great, green, jewel, he gave a malicious chuckle. And then, stretching out his hands, he sank into the floor, disappearing as he did so.

"So... you're helping an alien invader?" Dimitri whispered, "I suppose that explains where you got those weapons from, and how you keep creating Gizoids."

"Of course," Finitevus answered, smiling, "Black Doom may try to trick me, but it's not working. I have my own agenda, after all, Dimitri."

"Still. You wish to bring forth Enerjak?" the Imperator questioned.

"Why of course," the Doctor answered, "Once I do, I can wipe clean this planet, doing with it what I please! As you can tell, once that is finished, I will have no further need for the Emeralds."

"Fine then," Dimitri said, shrugging his shoulders, "Keep trying to raise this, _god_, of yours. As long as I get my Emeralds, I could care less for you and your gods."

"You still don't believe me, do you, Dimitri?" Finitevus inquired.

"Just don't bother me." the Nocturnus Imperator ordered.

For all intents and purposes, this conversation was over. Dimitri made his way out of the room, and into the halls, his footsteps echoing every so loudly. He didn't get to far down the hall, before stopping suddenly. His face contorted into an angered visage.

Damn that Finitevus. Joining forces with some alien god. Did he really believe in this, Enerjak, so much, that he'd graciously help some being who surely wanted to kill everyone. There was no way in hell, that Black Doom wanted _just_ food. There was always more, always. Call it a hunch, from one word dictator, to another.

He reached out his hand. Tapping a few buttons on it, he made a radio to buzz.

"Commander Ix," he whispered into it, "Get our troops ready. I'm not liking where things are going. Make them come to Glyphic Canyon."

"Yes, Imperator Dimitri."

The echidna gave a nod, while his eyes gazed up. It was a fools error to trust the Imperator. That goes for any man. Alien, demon, or otherwise.

…

The hedgehog pulled himself up.

Hydro-freaking-city, man, let me tell you. The mere sight of the fields of grass before him, pleased him in a way he couldn't understand. He reached forth his hand, and started tapping the earth around him. On pure instinct, he ruffled his body violently, causing water to be thrown every which way, in all directions. Finally, he got to his feet, in order to scan the areas around him.

Echidnas. All around him. All wearing togas, it seemed. They all looked to him with varying degrees of confusion, especially because of his arrival. He did just climb out of Hydrocity Zone, after all. But he didn't care.

Pulling out the Chaos Emerald he had, he started to focus. He saw nothing but burning, yellow sands, and deserts. He nodded.

"You there," he yelled out to a random echidna, while at the same time drawing attention to himself, "Is there a desert around here!?"

The echidna he called out to began to fidget, before running off for some reason. It made Shadow groan. He yelled out to someone else, but that only caused the same events to play out. In fact, everyone started running from the hedgehog, much to his ire.

So, finding it useless to talk to anyone, he started walking off on his own. He would find Tikal, and the Emeralds eventually, he just needed to get moving. And so, he skated off for the horizon.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_I think this is the earliest I've ever posted a story. Yay, for keeping horrible schedules!_

_Anyway, I apologize for any spelling errors in this chapter. I don't know if this is Fanfic dot nets problem, or mine, but the spell checker isn't coming on. So I'm doing this crap free hand! Woot!_

_Anyway, some Trivia. Yeah, Hydrocity Zone. Its by far, without a doubt, my favorite Zone in Sonic 3 and Knuckles. A close second probably being Mushroom Hill Zone. And all the other Zones. God, I love that game. But back to my point. I always wondered what the place was. A city? A sewer system? A highway underwater? Who knows, who cares. Well me. I used to always look into the background of the stage, because it was so freaking beautiful. That's why I loved the stage so much. I remember that, all the way at the top, if you paid attention to the background, at least in Act 1, you'd see statues of Sonic. Sense I played the game obsessively, I just chalked that up to the games prophetic nature, ya'know, with Super Sonic fighting Eggman and what not. The Zone's hard though, especially for the second freaking stage. What were the echidnas trying to protect? Some secret treasure? Or is that their sewer system cleaning out the crap. Makes sense, ya'know, because the water is so beautiful._

_ So, I've revealed Black Doom. That's the guy Finitevus is getting all his help from. I've hinted at him for the longest, however, so don't say he just came from no where. Go back, and check some chapters. You'll see the alien is talking to Finitevus as just a floating eye. You know, Doom's Eye. Yeah! Finitevus even calls him Doom once, so there's that. What is Doom doing here? Trying the same crap he tries thousands of years later. He just got done transporting the floating temples to earth as well. I always wondered why he came to earth thousands of years in the past, then left. What the hell? In this, very fan-made story, that is no way endorsed by Sega or Archie for that matter, you will know why!_

_Oh yeah, and Lien-Da is torturing Tikal. There's that too._

_Yeah Rouge, she's sexy and smooth. A double-crossing spy thief that's out for my jewels, uh!_

_More rap lyrics by Knuckles, and this time from Wild Canyon. Question, though. How the hell, did Knuckles know Rouge was a double-crossing spy thief!? He just met the chick that day! Shadow and Dr. Robotnik didn't even find that crap out until the last parts of the game! Knuckles, you spoiler!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	22. Injustices

Injustices

He laid his hand on the overgrown mushroom beside him.

How long had he been running? It felt like hours, days, even. He zoomed over the greatest lake in the history of man kind, and ended up in some forest, where the fungi grow bigger than trees. And the trees grow bigger than the sky. The green canopies and beautiful treetops, drowned out the stars and darkness of night. The hedgehog couldn't help but to scan the skies as it did so, finding it beautiful how gleams of white stars stared barely through tree leaves and tree barks. Even the reflective silver moon, and its luxurious light, barely poked through the trees, yet could still brighten up everything.

But as Shadow leaned back, he felt the need to rest. The mushroom tops made such pleasant seats, and the stalks made such present back rests. His arms crossed over one another, while a warm, long sigh, moved through his mouth. And then, as his breathing began to regulate itself, his eyes closed shut.

All he saw, staring back, was Tikal. And she was in pain. So much pain. Pain he's never felt before. Not the emotional kind, the kind that entails the body. Real pain.

He could hear her, call out in sadness, fear, and anger. All these things, made his heart snap. He could feel the strikes on her, as if they were happening to himself. The feeling, of some object, slashing against the skin, tearing fur and blood from the body. He could hear monstrous and angered cackles, as that weapon constantly struck forward.

The world he lay in began to fade away, as he felt this pain take over. Even though his eyes were closed, he could feel the moon and the stars morn. The world he lied in was casted in red, as blood dripped from the skies. In his seat, he started to fidget in place, as the pain being dealt to her body, started to take its toll on his. He barked out due to this pain, and started growling.

What was going on to him? It was Tikal, not him, who was being beaten, so why was he feeling? The funniest thing about all of this, was that Shadow didn't care. He really, honestly, didn't care about the pain being done to her, or the fact that he could feel it. What he cared about, was someone was _hurting_ Tikal. And from what he was feeling, it was bad, really bad. The mere thought, of someone laying their finger on Tikal, in a negative way, angered him. And from the pain, it made his rage boil.

"Shadow!" he heard _her_ bark.

"TIKAL!" he yelled back.

He sprang up to his toes, causing his head to bash against the mushroom's top. He winced briefly, before sending his ruby eyes over to scan things. His mind was playing tricks on him. The moon and stars weren't crying blood, that was just him. But real or not, it had all the same affects.

The hedgehog leaned against a tree, while his hand met his head. As he grumbled, he began to wonder. Why had he seen such things? It was as if, for that moment, he and Tikal, were one and the same. Everything she felt, he felt, every feeling she felt, he felt, every action she made, he was making. But it wasn't much. All he felt was pain, the only feeling moving through him was terror, and the only action he made, was to scream. Why?

A bright light started to resonate from him. He reached his hand away, and when it returned, it held the green Chaos Emerald. It brightened up the darkened atmosphere of the night, bringing some pleasure to his wailing heart. But then, the sight of the Emerald, brought his eyes to something else. Gazing beyond the jewel in his hand, he saw the aqua blue ring around his wrist. It seemed to be shining brighter than usual, as if it were calling out to him. He gripped the ring tightly, and started to rub it. For some reason, it made his rage quell.

"You love her, don't you..." he heard a voice, a woman's voice, a low powerful, woman's voice.

Shadow gazed up and around. There was no one here with him, no one to say anything, so who was that? What voice did he have in his head .Had he been anyone other than Shadow the hedgehog, he would have surely lost his mind. But, no, these things were common to him, most unfortunately.

"You love her..." that voice repeated itself.

So calming, that voice in question was. Yet so stern at the same time, powerful, even. Who was speaking to him, and why did he feel safe, calm, _loved_.

"She is a beautiful young woman," that voice continued, "New in the ways of love, in the ways of many things. But she finds hope with you, hedgehog. She finds the need to be... _loved, _by you, and only you."

"Who are you...?" the hedgehog inquired.

There was no answer, for a good long while. He stared up and around, still searching for the speaker. Of course, he found no one, making him really feel crazy.

"Do you love her?"

There was no one around, no one there to hear him, or speak to him. Just that voice, that low, strong, loving voice. A voice only a _mother_ could have.

"Yes..." the hedgehog answered, "I, unfortunately, do."

He heard a giggle, the giggle of a strong woman. A happy one, filled with hope, if that makes any sense.

"Then, you know, the two of you could never, _truly_ be together."

"I've found away around that..." he answered.

"No, no," the voice answered, "She holds a very important destiny, Shadow. A very important one. You'll never be able to hold her, keep her, to yourself."

The hedgehog started growling. Turning skyward, he faced the night sky, and jabbed forth his fists.

"What are you talking about?" he yelled.

The voice grew silent for a moment, and eventually, Shadow's anger faded away. But then it began again.

"I had a dream of her, a dream that made me lose hope."

Shadow didn't say anything, and the voice eventually continued.

"I saw her. The good inside her heart, the love, the compassion, I watched it all fade away. The day when Chaos reigns. You should know, Starman, you are, after all, a traveler of the future. History will tell you of the day, the echidna people were washed out, drowned, destroyed, but the god they sought to control. But what you don't know, is why the god stopped."

"I only know what history tells" the hedgehog suddenly answered, "And all we have to turn to for the destruction of the echidnas, is mythology. From what is says, it was an Angel, that stopped Chaos. Casted down from the heavens. This Angel sacrificed itself to stop Chaos, from destroying all life on the planet."

"Yes... she is an Angel. An Angel... _you've_ fallen in love with..."

Shadow's angered visage faded away. His fists fell, and his hands opened up, as he took in the words the voice gave him. Deep down inside, he felt this pit in his heart grow. But he wouldn't show sadness, instead, his rage returned.

"I know, you want to take her away, Shadow. Take her with you. And nothing would make me happier, than to see her happy, in your arms. But it doesn't work that way, you know that. If she leaves, if she's not here when Chaos goes wild. Then there will be no hope."

"I..." Shadow whispered, "I don't believe you..."

"It's not in your place to believe, but instead, to do what is right, Starman."

His eyes closed shut.

"You know you could never take her with you, to the future, Starman. You've always known that."

"Why?" he asked, rhetorically.

"Tell me," the voice continued, "Knowing what you know now... do you still love her?"

He didn't want to believe it. He truly, honestly didn't want to believe it. It just wasn't a pleasant sight he wanted in his mind. But he found it to be believable. Only Tikal could be an Angel, the Angel they needed to stop Chaos. And, knowing this, as the woman said, knowing that they could truly never be together, could he love her still? Could he still care for her in that way?

"Yes..." he whispered.

There was a sigh. A warm, loving sigh, a sigh that calmed Shadow down.

"Good... She needs your love. She needs you. She won't be strong anymore, without it. She always needed that thing to fight for, that thing that gave her strength."

"Who are you?" he asked again.

Silence. Long, bleak, silence. The hedgehog growled.

These rings must have been the cause of this. He was no fool, he could tell. She held one of his rings around her wrist, and he held one of her rings around his wrists. They were connected because of these rings, but it was more than that. The Chaos Force that were bound by the rings within them, now connected them, thanks to the rings on their arms. Was that true? Maybe, maybe not. But it made Shadow feel better. It made him feel, as if, they were never, truly, alone.

He needed to hurry.

The thrusters on his jet shoes ignited again, propelling him forward. The sights of this mushroom forest started to blur by, as he made his way forward constantly. The burning sands of the desert, that's all he could think about. He knew Tikal was there, somewhere. He just needed to run, faster and faster. Faster than he ever ran in his life.

…

Her hand slid by the nubile princess' face. The red echidna smiled devilishly, at the orange one on her knees. She brought up her face, and forced her to look toward her. The broken young girl gazed forward, but those eyes of hers seemed so dim in comparison. The sight of it, made the older echidna grin.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Tikal said nothing, though her lips closed shut. The blood on the sandy floor had begun to dry, in some areas, while the fresher kind remained shimmering. So injured, the girl was. Scars and marks were all on her body. Some were light, and would heal with time, while others, others were forever. They lay all on her body. Her legs, her torso, some even along her muzzle and face. Pieces of her clothing were torn and split, surely the cause of that deadly whip.

Lien-Da couldn't help but to chuckle at the sight, while her indigo colored eyes peered up to the moonlight. And then, for some reason, she lifted her boot, and pressed it on the younger echidna's head. She heard Tikal wince in pain, the sound of it made her fur shiver.

"I see..." she said, for some reason, "You know, Tikal, you are a very interesting girl."

As expected, there was no answer given back. Didn't stop the torturer from speaking, however.

"Most men would have folded by now. Started, begging for their life or wishing to see their family, or something sad and foolish. But not you, no, no, not you. So strong, you are, which I guess I should expect of the Master Emerald Guardian. You Knuckles Tribesmen may be technologically stupid, but you have strong wills."

Suddenly, her boot left the girl's head, and she knelt down. Now at face level with her, her face contorted into a visage befitting Satan himself. She got closer to her though, so that their noses touched. Tikal was unsure of where things were going, and it made her shift uncomfortablely.

"So, tell me, Princess," she said it in such a sarcastic tone, "What do you see in _him_, hm?"

Tikal gazed into those indigo eyes, as she parsed together the dominatrix's words. Why did she put so much emphasis on the word 'him'? And why was she so close, with that even glare of hers.

"C'mon," she said, "We're both woman, right? So how was it, huh? Fucking a demigod like him?"

Tikal couldn't believe the Lien-Da's words. Did she have no shame, speaking like this? It was wrong, but it also made Tikal wonder. How did she know?

"What... are you talking about?" she croaked out, her first words in a while.

"Oh, you can't hold that away from me!" Lien-Da claimed, "How much you scream out his name when I whip you, how the thought of him, his mere name, gives you so much hope! Isn't it wrong, wrong that you jumped his rod out-of-wedlock, hm?"

"I," Tikal gazed away, her face growing frail, "I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Oh, please," she whispered, getting closer, "You enjoyed it, didn't you? He was probably so violent, a man like him. I can just imagine it, imagine how he was like in bed. If he's anything like he is in fighting, then he must go on for hours, huh?"

"Please..." Tikal whispered.

"So how was it, you can tell me, I'll keep your secret. Just call it a mystery among women. Yesss... I'm pretty sure he was real good in bed, especially for you. Was it your first time? Did it hurt as much as it usually did? Did you scream? Probably reeeaaaaal loud. But he didn't care. In fact, your screams probably pushed you further, didn't it? DIDN'T IT! Tell me! I want to know!"

"Why are you doing this!?" Tikal cried back.

"C'mon," she said, unusually nicely, "Tell Lien-Da. Tell how the Starman, rocked your world that night."

"Please stop. I'm begging..."

"Tell Lien-Da, how, out of wedlock, you pounced him, how you enjoyed it. How you probably moaned so loud, you disturbed the birds in the trees. How that night, that night when I kidnapped you, you had just finished fucking him, didn't you? How you spent the night in his arms, tossing and turning in his bed, reaching pleasure you've never felt before."

"Stop it..." Tikal began to order, with this force.

"But... I'm confused... Call Lien-Da crazy but... Isn't that... _wrong_? Isn't it wrong for the Master Emerald Guardian, a pure, staple of honesty, and Anglicism, to partake in something like that? And out of marriage no less! That's so, so, wrong."

"Shut... up!" Tikal said, getting angry.

"Isn't it wrong of you to like that? Like having sex? I bet you loved it, didn't you, loved having sex? Is it easy to get the Master Emerald Guardian in the bed? Does any man have a chance with you? Are you some kind of whore, willing to give it up to anyone?"

"No..." Tikal said, growing frail and sad again.

"Oh, I see," Lien-Da commented, "So, he's special. The Master Emerald Guardian _isn't_ some common whore, she's just in love. In love with a man who she barely knows. A man who, fell from the stars?"

"No," she whispered, "I do know the Starman."

"How?" she asked, "You've just met him."

"But I do... We were... made for each other..."

"Made for each other?" like everything she says, the tone was so sarcastic, "You two were made for each other? I find that soooo hard to believe."

"You liar!" Tikal barked, "We were!"

"You're nothing but a little girl," Lien-Da said, "A confused, impure, dirty, little girl. How will the man you marry one day feel, when he finds out you've been sullied already? That little, barrier of purity, has already been torn, huh? Won't he be furious? Furious to know, the woman he loves, has already been tainted by another?"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Tikal barked, "I only love him! I would never marry another man!"

"Then, riddle me this, little girl. You are new to the ways of love, no? You've never loved before, or experienced it before, have you? Well, never love in that way, huh? Then tell me, little miss Tikal, how do you know he feels the same about you?"

"Because we've..."

"Oh please, so you've fucked before. People, usually men, do that all the time. Hit it then quit it, just as fast as can be, as if sex was nothing. How do you know, it's not the same with you? How do you not know, he just wanted to bang you real long, and real hard. Just to please himself? Huh?"

"He's not that kind of man..."

"You've only known him for, a week or two now? How do you not know that to be true?"

"Because..."

"Because, what?"

"He's coming for me... now... As we speak..."

"Do you think that?"

Tikal nodded.

"Yes... I do..."

"Deep down inside. You feel wrong though, don't you. Inside, right were the dirt is, you feel as if you did yourself, your people, and the gods some sort of injustice. Like you _are_ some whore."

Tikal grew silent, and her eyes closed shut. She didn't want to think about it, she really didn't, but Lien-Da's hands near her, and her cold words, made her wonder about it. Sex was so wrong, but so great, and she felt so terrible thinking that way.

So gazing up, she stared at the woman responsible for making her feel this way. That dominatrix gazed back too, her eyes a glare, her teeth showing, as her lips curled up into a smile.

"I was once like you, ya'know," Lien-Da pressed, "Wondering if doing such things were right or wrong. My parents told me they were, and for a while I listened. But then, my first time came around, and all that changed. Oh, I thought sex was bad, but my parents lied, and lied. It was so much fun. And seeing as your face brightens up every time you mention his name, I assume your first time was fun, too. If only people told me, and by virtue you, the consequences."

"Then why do you say these things? What did I do to deserve this?" Tikal asked.

"Because," Lien-Da whispered back, "I enjoy breaking strong wills."

She stood tall then, and her wicked whip started to uncurl. The guardian princess gazed up to the weapon, while her body tensed up once more. When would this torture end?

"Lightning bolts may hurt," Lien-Da commented, "But I hurt more!"

There was a buzzing. A loud buzzing. Tikal started to quake, as she had never heard such a noise before. Her blue eyes gazed up to the red echidna above her, who had now shifted her eyes away. Those evil indigo eyes scanned the area on her wrist, where a strange device lied. She started pressing on random buttons, causing a light from the module to flash.

The strangest thing happened then. Tikal watched Lien-Da's eyes and face. They softened. The sight of it made Tikal shiver. She couldn't believe a woman like Lien-Da could make such a face. The face was so different from that horrifying torturer's visage. So, loving, actually.

"Rutan...?" she heard her whisper, "Now what is he..."

Her eyes continued to read the screen, as information was surely given back. Then her face contorted into annoyance.

"They're doing what?" she said aloud, "Great..."

The great torturer coiled up her whip, and thus attached it to her side. Tikal gazed up with this hidden happiness, as she watched the red echidna ruffle her own quills and hair. It seemed the torture was over, and Tikal couldn't be happier.

"I guess our little fun is over, Princess..." Lien-Da sneered, "I'm needed elsewhere."

She spun around to the exit, and walked off with a sway of her behind. And once she exited, it was over. Just like that, Tikal's day of absolute hell was over. And all she could do, was growl. But she didn't know why she was growling. She was angry, damningly angry. She started to pulling and yanking, on the chains that held her bound. She was going nowhere of course, but it didn't matter. She pulled, and pulled, and pulled, growling while she did so. And then, at the same time that she showed rage, she started crying. Her emotions were in such flux, and she couldn't control them. All she thought about, was that black and red hedgehog.

"Shadow..." she whispered, "Where are you...?"

…

"I'm coming..." he answered.

The hedgehog came to a quick and sudden stop. His feet met the edge of the cliff he stood on. The green glades of grass hung over the edge of the tile like dirt, as he casted is demonic image over the edge. As he gazed over the starry horizon, he could feel the Emeralds screaming out to him. All seven of them, with an eighth in his hand.

And Tikal. He could feel Tikal. What was it about this nubile princess that had him so riled up? The more he thought about it, the crazier things became in his head. But it didn't matter. He wanted to save Tikal. He had too! And he would.

That's when he heard a loud noise, roar into his ears. He pulled back, and gazed down the forest from where he just ran. Louder and louder the noise became, causing the hedgehog's ears to twitch, as he peered off behind him. That's when he noticed a vehicle. A great, behemoth of a vehicle, rolling down the dirt roads at moderate speeds. The hedgehog couldn't believe what he was seeing. Such a vehicle had no place in this time. It was like a tank cross-bred with a truck. And it was only getting closer.

Quickly, Shadow shuffled away, hiding behind some overgrown shrubbery. Hidden by grass and night sky, he trained his burning ruby eyes on the objects passing him.

Nocturnus Tribe, of course, he should have known. Their symbol was all on the vehicle passing him. Not to mention the many folds of armed guards that passed by. Where were they heading, the hedgehog couldn't help but to wonder. From what he could tell, it seemed as if they were heading toward the desert, which made him wonder why. And there was a lot of them. Not just a few soldiers and groups, no, this was some kind of armada of men.

Shadow didn't like it, not one bit. But if it got him to where he needed to go, he would follow them, sneak by. They did, after all, know the place better than he ever could.

So, when they weren't paying attention, he slipped into one of their massive tanks vehicles. He snuggled himself deep inside a mechanical crevice, and then started waiting. It wasn't comfortable, but it would do for now. At least he had those beautiful stars to keep him company.

He slept that night. And he saw something. A woman, nay, an Angel. And a dragon made of water. And a legend that was created from it.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Yeah! I'm talking again! And what? This is a short chapter? Thank the heavens. I know you love long Chapters, and I assure you, the next one will be... yeah..._

_Any who, this Chapter. What do I have to say about it? Not much, honestly. Really, I don't have any secrets to say or much to comment about. Well, I do have to say about a certain character. Rutan, that name Lien-Da mentioned. To be honest, it's not important to anyone but her, so don't go thinking Rutan will heavily affect this story. It's just some more continuity. What kind? You'll see when the time comes._

_I suppose I can go on about the geography of Angel Island. Shadow went through Hydrocity in the last chapter, and when he came out, he was in Marble Garden Zone. That's how things progressed in Sonic 3 & Knuckles, ya'know. Sonic and Tails went from Hydrocity to Marble Garden. In my eyes, the different styles of Angel Island's architecting, represents different tribes. As you can see in the last chapter, when Shadow came out of Hydrocity Zone, and into Marble Garden Zone, he saw echidna's who were wearing togas. That's because they were very Roman or Greek. Listen, this is the only way I can explain why these echidnas are supposed to be Mayan in style, but they have freaking pyramids in Sandoopolis Zone, ugh. I could explain more on the echidna people in my head, but I think its best I shut my trap. If I ever get the need to use my ideas on echidna history, I'll get a job at Archie or something._

_Oh yeah, the Nocturnus Tribe is on their way. Way for what? Well, from what Dimitri said yesterday, they are about to do something important. Remember what I said? Why didn't Black Doom take over the world when he came thousands of the years in the past? Yeah, I'll tell you why, next time._

_Oh yeah, and can you guess who was talking to Shadow? I think you all know, it's easy._

_In the next chapter of Tribal Dance, Shadow finally makes his way to Glyphic Canyon, where he has to circumnavigate its hellish labyrinth. But with Lien-Da there, things are sure to heat up. Get ready for a showdown._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	23. The Wildest of Canyons

The Wildest of Canyons

"Damn! She's your mother! You've got to be kidding me!"

"Guys, shut up, she has nothing to do with this, let's just keep moving."

"But Rutan, c'mon! Don't you know who your mother is?"

"She's so sexy and fine, I'd love to-"

"SHUT UP! You said it yourself, she's my mother. Please, stop... ill... Just stop..."

The black and red hedgehog's eyes moved up. The small silver crevice he snuggled himself into was casted in a dark shade, one that kept him asleep longer than intended. But now that he was awake, and alert, he found out just how hot it was. Even in the shade, the heat index had to be at about the late eighties, or early nineties. And if things were that hot, the Starman could only imagine how hot it was in direct sunlight. All these things cemented further in his mind, that the destination had arrived.

Shadow the hedgehog poked his head through the tank like vehicle's steel crevice. Those ruby eyes of his moved left and right, scanning the entire horizon as they did so. If he wasn't so dead set on finding a certain princess, he would say things were beautiful. Mountains lied far off in the distant, holding tightly this great valley. And the valley itself. Within it, lied temples, temples that stretched on for hours days even. And if one paid attention to it, the temples gave off a very bird like feel to it. Maybe Shadow would have been impressed, had he not seen it all before.

"Glyphic Canyon..." he whispered to himself.

Yes, he remembered what happened in the past, err, future. Ugh. How he traveled to the desert ruins, something forced upon him by Black Doom. How Knuckles was there, possibly for treasure hunting reasons, and how the red echidna asked for his help with destroying the resident Black Arms. Doom was different, however, the alien leader wanted the hedgehog's help in activating the temple's jewels. To be honest, must of that adventure remains a blur to Shadow. He couldn't remember if he actually helped Knuckles kill them all, or if he helped Black Doom activate the temples. All he remembers, was making his way to the Black Comet at the end. But enough of events passed.

Turning around, he ducked deep into the metallic tank he hid in. Last night, through the darkness, he never had the time to analyze the armada of Nocturnus soldiers, heading toward the canyons. They stretched on forever, it seemed, as if they were expecting a war. Nocturnus Tribesmen, alongside Nocturnus Tribesmen, all walked down this path, while those tank like vehicles rolled in between them. Numbers Shadow thought would be low, were actually great, and numerous. It made the hedgehog shutter a bit, wondering what was actually going on. Eventually, he got the need to leave, the need to discover and understand what was going on. And more importantly, the need to save Tikal.

Once again, he poked through the silver crevice. Some Nocturnus soldiers notice him, and called out, but it was too late. In a black blur that was his trademark, he leaped up from the Nocturnus tank, and into the waiting valleys.

His feet collapsed onto a dusty highway. Sands and rocks were thrown skyward, as his crimson orbs moved up. He could still hear the sound of their tanks, rolling in the distance, but he didn't care. Reaching away, he withdrew the green Chaos Emerald that lied on his person. He started focusing, and focusing hard. The Emerald in his grip started to shine brighter, and brighter. The hedgehog grumble lightly, as he felt as if his spirit was being lifted from his body. He combed the entire field with his apparition, before pinpointing his sights on one specific building. He was sure. He knew it now.

That's where _she_ was.

…

The Imperator stared over at the desert canyon. His verdant eyes, scanning every crevice, every object, everything, of everything. He wouldn't be a good leader if he hadn't done so. The bird like structure, the many highways, the buildings, the constructs. These temples, this canyon, was less an area of worship, and more an area of defense. A fortress, with more to hide. He was sure of it.

"Imperator Dimitri." he heard from behind, causing his ears to perk up.

He turned to face the speaker, the swoosh of his black cape, dusting off some sand around him. His green eyes moved forward, seeing her indigo ones glaring back.

"Put on your fighting best, Lien-Da?" he commented, walking up to her.

The black long sleeve shirt, that showed her cleavage and ended above her stomach, the spiked choker around her neck, the spiked bands around her wrists, the silver snake coiled around her arm, the pants with the furry open end, and those boots of hers. The most sarcastic tone of her clothing, had to be the heart imprint on her belt, which was cherry red.

Lien-Da chuckled at her Imperator's comment, while her hand began to play with the metal clad dread on her head. Curling up her coveted whip as she did so, her indigo eyes scanned close her leader. In unison, they turned to face the canyon. They could feel the life, crawling in the temples, no matter how much it tried to hide it all.

Suddenly, the Imperator turned off, feet moving to meet his oncoming men. Lien-Da gave a snarling face, however, as she peered one last time at the temples. After a second or two, however, she followed her leader closely.

"Lien-Da." the Imperator called, eyes still trained forward.

"Yes, Imperator?" she answered.

"Once you've arrived with the groups, I want you to attack those temples. I don't care what happens, I don't want any bits of those things to remain, you here?"

"Loud and clear..."

"Not only that, lead a group of our best Gizoids into the main building."

"Why is that?" she asked, "Do you want me to kidnap the Master Emerald Guardian?"

"I could care less, for the Master Emerald Guardian," the Imperator sneered, "If she dies or not in the cross fire, that does little to affect me. I want the kidnapping of the Master Emerald instead, Lien-Da. It lies within."

"Fine by me," she commented, her pearly white teeth being showed in full, "But I have one request."

"And what would that be?" Dimitri inquired, gazing back.

"Finitevus. If we're attacking him and his allies, I want him, to myself. If anyone is going to kill that fool, it will be me!"

She heard Dimitri chuckle, while his cape moved up.

"Fine," he commented, "You have an obsession with that Doctor though. Kill him if you please, Lien-Da, and clean up behind you. We're done here..."

He began running then, rushing up the desert walls, heading toward the his men. Lien-Da followed closely behind.

…

Shadow's skates took him farther and farther down the roads. He dodged columns and statues, as his feet took him up highways and staircases. The temples looked so different from how the appear, thousands of years in the future. So clean, so perfect, they were. Statues of Black Arms were perfectly constructed, alongside those temple walls, most of which were decrepit and falling apart, by his time. The feeling of this place beneath his toes, his _heritage_, not falling apart, made him feel lively.

He actually stopped at the thought. Something about the Black Arms, makes him feel lively, happy even? Surely, staying in this heat was doing things to his mind.

He started skating again. He zoomed along the sandy highways, wondering of days past, that have yet to actually occur. Funny, how no one expecting these things to fly. Running around the roads now, he could not only feel it, but tell. The bird like structures of the temples, not only added to the flight capabilities, but also statues of Black Hawks lied attached to walls and such. The hedgehog almost felt stupid not realizing this place could fly, then again, most of these attributes were gone by the time he finally stepped foot on them. Though, he couldn't tell if it were due to age, or something else. Why, you may ask?

He heard a searing noise. Something piercing the air, and fly toward his position. As he dashed down a road, sending sand and dust-up, he peered to the skies. His eyes scanned the sight, of a flaming object heading his way. Immediately, the hedgehog bursted forward, his body surrounded by a yellow aura. Clearing the distance of the object, he heard an explosion ring out behind him. He spun around, seeing the road he was just running along, be crushed by the attack of unknown origins. He scurried behind a stone building, and his ruby eyes peered over the corner.

Far away, on the canyon side, he saw the Nocturnus Tribe. Their weapons were ready, sights barreling down on the temples of alien's past. Those tank like vehicles revealed themselves to be attack weapons it seemed. The backsides, which were closed to begin, were now open, with massive cannons aimed at the future ruins. And they were firing.

Every second, it seemed the harsh cacophony of cannon fire would spill into the air, sprinkling the skies with fire balls and gun shells. They constantly pelted the alien temples, reducing some buildings to nothing but mere rubble, while also crushing other roads. And this just continued. Bullets, rockets, everything, attacked the soon to be ruins, much to the hedgehog's ire. If things continued this way, then something could hurt Tikal, and if she got hurt any more than what's already been done to her, then the hedgehog. Well, the hedgehog wasn't really sure _how_ he would react. It wouldn't be good though, he was sure of that.

So, done with the attacks, he dashed off. His feet skating for the dungeon holding the princess guardian.

…

The echidna lowered her high-powered binoculars. Her indigo eyes formed and annoyed glare, while her lips fell downward in an equally annoyed frown. Even without the binoculars, she could see the hedgehog dart around like a black blur, dodging rocket and gun fire. It made her smirk, honestly. She wasn't really expecting the hedgehog to come here, well, not so soon, at least. How he found the area, was a mystery in itself, but she didn't care.

The hedgehog would surely prove to be a nuisance, something that needed to be cut off. And she knew there was only one person who could deal with it.

As the cannons roared behind her, she stepped toward the canyon's edge. She gripped tightly onto the whip attached to her hip, and uncoiled it. It snaked down around her ankles, while she continued to step forward. She knew what the Imperator said. Attack the main building with the best Gizoids they have. But she didn't care. This was much better, much more _pleasurable_. Besides, she knew what was best, Imperator, or no Imperator.

The next thing she knew, she was falling. The sandy hard ground was rapidly approaching her, while a smile curled onto her lips. Peering up, her indigo eyes caught sight of a statue. She pulled back her whip, then struck it forward. With great finesse and expertise, the black wire wrapped around the statues hand. Instead of breaking, the powerful statue held up, and Lien-Da was thus swung around. Through the air, she moved, coming up on the other side of the statue. She moved so high, that once her whip released itself from the statue, she was falling through the air again. Her indigo eyes trained over the temples once again. She could see him still, running away. He was a fast little bugger, meaning she needed to speed up.

She fell passed the desert roads, coming to the large columns that held the roads up. Once again, her whip tied around them, causing her to swing through the hot burning air. She quickly slipped her way onto a temple rooftop, where she rolled to her feet. Peering once again through the highway of roads and temples, she noticed her prey. Still running, it seemed.

She began running then. Her feet moving through the sandy roofs, bringing her from one rooftop to another. Her skills it seemed, were greater than many imagined, for she cleared distances with great and powerful strides. And all of this, were still getting her closer to that hedgehog. He didn't even notice she was there, how cute. It made her smirk.

She landed on one road, her feet brought her farther. Closer, and closer, she got to the hedgehog. So close, she could taste the pain she would deliver to him. Her whip uncoiled itself, and started swaying in the wind. Her smile grew sadistic. She was about to strike forward when.

A black shadow swamped over the area. Immediately, she ducked down, performing split in order to dodge the thing above her. Her indigo eyes peered up, seeing the most strangest of creatures ever. Some of them looked like birds, but with four eyes instead of the usual two, plus they lacked feathers, and instead had black and red scales. And there was a fleet of them, all of them flying high in the sky, making their way toward the echidnas on the canyon's edge. The mere sight of these things, made Lien-Da forget where she was going. She had never seen these animals like this before. Was this why Dimitri ordered an attack? It made sense, it seemed.

There was a powerful footsteps. The dominatrix got to her feet, in order to find the causer of this sound. Her eyes met the sight of a Goliath being. Much like the aliens flying above, this one was unlike anything she had ever seen. It had two eyes, with black and red scales. Also, in its hands, a purple, pulsating blade. The titan creäture let out a monstrous roar, before shifting its cold eyes toward her. It stomped forward, over and over again, each one of its massive steps, bringing it closer and closer. She was, at first, unsure of what she was supposed to do. But once that thing swung its blade down upon her position, she couldn't care any less.

Her whip wrapped around its neck, and she started pulling. The creature roared against her poor attack, tearing the whip away from its neck, and once again shifting its gaze toward her. She grimaced, before tapping an unseen button on her whip. This caused the weapon to surge with electricity.

"You're in my way!" she yelled, whipping the creature alongside its chest.

The powerful black wire tore into the monster's skin, while at the same time causing quite the shock. The alien roared out in pain, while it hunched down to one knee. The dominatrix gave the monster a powerful glare, before the noise of footsteps echoed behind her. She spun around, facing the roads she ran along. To her surprise, more of those titans. All of them roaring, all of them heading her way. Knowing that fighting these things would result in absolute death, she decided to head on her mission. She leaped over the black monster she strike down, so she could return to running.

The gunfire from her troops had not yet melted away. Peering up to the skies, she could see those black birds falling to the earth, as bullets and rockets tore through their ranks. Some of that weaponry even destroyed the natural cliffs and rock formations aside, but the dominating woman could care less for that. Gazing away, she could see some of those birds made their way to the troops. The sight of it, made her grimace.

But she had a job to do.

Coming to the edge of the road, she peered over to see that hedgehog. He was, apparently, going toe to toe, with some of those black creatures. She watched him dart around in this ball, striking these monsters on the head, while also returning fire. The way he battled them, while making absolutely zero mistakes, cemented the idea in her head, that he had fought these creatures before. Such an interesting man.

Her whip struck forward. It wrapped around another statue. Using her impressive upper body strength, she swung her way over the roads, and to the hedgehog who had just finished the last of his foes.

"Black Arms!" he announced to himself, "Here! Of all places!"

He slammed his hand on his head, while he groaned out. He knew the chances of running into them were possible, but he never intended to. Those damned Nocturnus fools! He didn't want to change history, and he was sure if he ran into Black Doom in the past, he'd definitely screw up the future, more specifically, his own creation. That was something he didn't want to do. Just don't run into Black Doom. Hopefully.

He heard footsteps appear behind him. Immediately, he straightened up. He could hear that woman breathe heavily, as she stepped through the sands to come to him. She had quite the nerve popping up here. After what she did, after what he felt, was being done to Tikal. His fists curled in and uncurled, bones cracking on the insides as he did so. He heard her stop, but not because of fear, but because of interest.

"I'm impressed," she said, seductively at that, "I rarely meet a man who can keep up with me."

What the hell was she doing? Did she really think she could talk to him, after what she had just done?

"Most men I face. Are just too scared. Too brittle, too weak. Always scared of me. But not you, hedgehog. I find that interesting. Unlike most men, you actually don't fear me, to my surprise. So riddle me this, why? Why are you coming here to save that woman?"

He didn't give her an answer. Ultimately, it made her chuckle.

"Not in the mood, huh? Can't get it up?"

"Who can't get it up for you?" he replied, rage in his voice.

"Aww, someone's getting riled up!"

She cracked her whip against the air, her indigo eyes shooting to him.

"Then jump me, boy!"

He was more than happy to oblige.

His jet shoes roared to life, spinning him in place. His crimson sight locked onto her ruby frame, where her eyesight returned. Her lips curled into a smile, while her teeth shone against the skies. She leaped forward. Her whip moving in the skies, like some sort of snake. She struck at him, as she moved through the air. The hedgehog leaped back, dodging the whip strike as he did so. Quickly, the hedgehog fiddled with the weapon in hand, one of those guns Finitevus and his Gizoids were using. Aiming the otherworldly pistol at the woman before him, he fired. The green bolt from the gun's barrel missed just barely, while her whip wrapped its way around the gun. She gave a tug, and the gun flew from his hands. It moved into the air, and eventually, fell over the cliff sides, disappearing into the canyon's valley. The hedgehog didn't show any anger, however. In fact, he was fully expecting the gun to prove its uselessness, just as it did. He was only hoping to end this fight as soon as possible. But now, without a weapon, he lifted his hands in a fighting pose that befitted him the most. Lien-Da cracked her whip against the air, before her expert handling of the weapon caused it to wrap around her instead.

This fight wasn't going to end soon, they could tell.

She leaped up and forward, but didn't clear the distance between the two like last time. Instead, she landed on her hand, performing a flip as her body constantly propelled herself forward. She flipped and flipped, like a gymnast, eventually making her way to the awestruck hedgehog. Pushing herself up from the earth with her hands, she landed right atop the hedgehog. Her feet clashed against the hedgehog's chest, pushing him back. He landed on a wall, but quickly recovered from the hit. His jet shoes bursting alive with flames, he launched himself forward into a spin dash. He collided into her stomach, pushing her back, and slamming her into the wall.

As soon as he leaped back, he found her whip to be around his neck. How the hell does she do that? Her sadistic cackles constantly peppered the air, and she started to pull on that wire. He felt it tighten around his neck, but did nothing to stop it. Instead, he grabbed a hold of the whip's line, and started pulling it. Not expecting the tactic, Lien-Da stopped laughing, and started pulling on her whip with equal force. The two entered this deadly game of tug of war, with the loser surely ending up dead. Somehow, Shadow got the upper hand, for with a mighty tug, he pulled her forcibly toward her. Her face contorted into fear, while it met a fist.

Shadow's powerful strike caused her to slide against the ground, once she landed. The hedgehog shook his head, while his hand pried him free of the whip. She wasn't moving in the least bit, but he wasn't going to turn his back on her. She was full of tricks, he knew that now. He either ended her now, or she'd come back to end him later.

"Get up!" he yelled, "I know you aren't finished."

She laid there for a few more seconds, before getting up in a sitting position. Her hand was rubbing her face, while her indigo eyes continued to peer at him. Upon moving away said hand, she gave this sexy smile, whilst getting to her feet.

"Not bad," she commented, "Think you could do better?"

The hedgehog's eyesight squinted, while he got into his fighting position once more. The woman once again uncurled her whip. She started to dance it into the air, surely trying to bait him forward. The hedgehog took said bait, and with a grin, no less.

He dashed forth as a black blur dodging the dominatrix's whip with quick fluent movements. He got closer and closer to her, and upon arriving, he reached his arms out. He slammed into her with the force of a juggernaut, dragging her over many yards in said brutal tackle. When they arrived to a barrier that lied on the side of the road, the hedgehog actually rushed through it.

They fell for a while, rocks and gunfire spreading around them. He felt Lien-Da's boot clash against his chest, pushing him up. They were still falling, and yet she was still trying to kill him. Through the fall, he felt her whip wrap around his neck. She pulled him down, and slammed that fist of hers against his face. He winced at the pain, but didn't give in. Slamming his open palm on her face, he pushed and pushed, trying his hardest to free him of her whips grasp. She, on the other hand, continued to tighten that wire around his neck. He started choking in the fall, much to his ire. If this continued, he would be out like a light as soon as they landed. So, grabbing a hold of a falling rock, he slammed it against his foe's head. He heard her crack in pain.

Or was that lust again? It was really pissing him off how she did that.

Regardless of how she felt about his strike, she still let loose on that whip around his neck. The two broke off from each other in the air a few minutes later, falling apart as they did so. To his surprise, and ire, she flipped in the air, falling on her feet instead on her back. He did likewise.

The two warriors step foot on a wide platform. Columns and statues littered this new area, while the oddly bowl shape nature of it all caused dust to fall inwardly. Shadow's ruby eyes moving up and around found the area finding it odd. When he came by Glyphic Canyon in his time, this place wasn't here at all. Not only that, but it appeared to be some sort of arena. The field was fitting, almost too fitting. Still...

He lifted his hands once more in that battling style. Lien-Da appeared to be preoccupied with her face, however. Every time she pressed her nose, she would wince in pain. But those winces, almost always, turned into loan moans, especially as those indigo eyes of hers eyed the foe before her.

"Not bad..." she stated, gazing at him while she also rubbed her head, "You hit harder than the last time. I like that... It's rare that someone, namely a man, get's better with time."

"Are you just going to sit there and flirt with me!" he barked, "Or are we going to actually finish this?"

"So ready to get back into things," she commented, "I suppose I should expect that much from someone like you."

Her face shifted away. Gone was that visage of sex, instead, that angry, evil, sadistic one. She gave Shadow this powerful glare, while once again her whip started to sway. Over and over again, it swayed in the air, moving like a hypnotic snake. The hedgehog lifted his fists to match said movement, ready to pounce when the time came.

And it came. It came from nowhere.

An explosion echoed in the air between them. Shadow brought his eyes up, just to see Black Arms descend upon them. The hedgehog gave a growl, and immediately shifted his attention to face them. The Black Hawks dived down to strike the hedgehog, but he quickly countered with punches. Grunt soldiers, usually armed with blades or fire arms, all took aim to strike him, but his quick movements usually diminished any of their efforts. But the Black Arms continued to come. They swarmed them, in their massive numbers, ending the battle they wanted to hold with only each other.

Somehow, through the fray, he and the dominatrix got back to back with one another. She glared at him, and he glared back. Though neither of them wanted to do this, they had no choice. Her whip started to dance around them, striking down aliens of all shapes and sizes. In a spin dash, he struck them down as well, that yellow aura around his body crushing any and all foes who met him. Had they not been at each others necks, they would have made a good team. That feeling of deep animosity still remained within them, however.

"Oh Starman," she called, sultry like, as she struck down an armed guard, "Having fun?"

"Shut up..." he answered back, as he crushed the head of an alien with his foot.

"Here's a, _IDEA!_" she grunted out as she killed an alien of her own, "How about you become one of my slaves? You'd be sure to keep up with me!"

"I'm afraid I'd have to pass!" he answered, killing the last enemy.

To his surprise, a whip wrapped around his arms, binding him together.

"To bad," she answered, "I'd teach you how to enjoy pain!"

Suddenly, a great and powerful surge of electricity moved through him. The hedgehog growled and groaned with pain, as the surges jolted through him over and over again. He could hear her cackles move through the air, as he shook over and over again. But then his eyes opened. He shot a glare at echidna before him, and smiled.

"You only get to beat me this way once!" he yelled, much to her confusion.

Suddenly, he pulled on the whip. The weapon snapped from her hands, much to her horror. She leaped for the handle, grabbing it after a few chases and leaps. Grabbing a hold of it, she felt a shadow engulf her. Glaring up, she saw the hedgehog looking back. Her lips curled into a forced smile, while his hand wrapped its way around her neck. She felt air lack to reach her, while he pulled her up and up. He lifted her with his strength alone, his grip making her scream in pain. Her face contorted into this pleased grin though, while she constantly yelled out 'YES!' due to the pain. Shadow may not ever understand it, but he didn't mind. She may have _enjoyed_ what was happening to her, but it didn't make it any less deadly. Increasing the pressure on her neck, he was going to crush this woman's windpipe, killing her. And she looked positively pleased with this.

She grabbed a hold of his arm with her hands. As she continued to moan in lust, her grip increased on arm. His ruby eyes squinted, as he applied even more pressure. But then, he caught something out of his peripheral vision. That silver snake, that was coiled around Lien-Da's arm, started moving. The hedgehog was surprised by this. He thought it was a mere article of clothing, let alone something that could move.

The snake opened wide its mouth, then darted forward. Just before it met Shadow's skin, the hedgehog released his grip on Lien-Da's neck. The snake missed its bite, landing on the ground thanks to the failure. It didn't stay there for long, however, for it returned to the dominatrix's arm quickly. She had also recovered from the asphyxiation, shifting her indigo eyes over to her foe.

"Good show," she said, rubbing her neck, as coughs came out, "I suppose you do know how to have some fun."

"How long will this go on?" the hedgehog inquired, "Just give up, you can't win!"

"Win? Lien-Da always wins, Starman. And you'll learn that soon enough."

Her fingers glided down her bare stomach, circled her naval, then met her bet. Finger meeting the heart on her belt, she suddenly tapped it.

Suddenly, she started groaning. He watched veins pop out on her body, as she hunched over to grip her head. More groans of pain escaped her lips, as she started to scream. Gone was that sexualized tone, as she now sounded genuinely hurt. Had she been anyone else, Shadow may have been a bit pitiful. But he knew better. She was doing something, he just needed to know what.

Her screams of pain, became chortles and laughter. She also started moaning, while she got to her feet. Licking her lips, she stared at the hedgehog. Her eyes, they were surging with electricity. Her hands, were also surging with electricity. It was, needless to say, surprising. The hedgehog was not expecting this.

"What's wrong, Starman?" she called out, "Surprised?"

"A little bit..." he answered, returning to attack position, "But not by much."

"Well, then, let me help you unwind a bit!"

Her lighting charged hands aimed forward. From her finger tips, twin blasts of electricity. Shadow leaped out-of-the-way, hiding behind a column as he did so. This was going to be very interesting, he could tell.

…

"This wasn't a part of the plan, Finitevus!"

The albino doctor glared over the many roads of alien origins. He was expecting Nocturnus to attack, that much is true. What he wasn't expecting, was it to happen so soon. It didn't matter, however, for time was only a matter for Doom, not him. The alien lord could yell and yell at he wanted, but it meant absolutely nothing to him. This wasn't his plans that was going up in smoke, hilariously enough.

Still, the alien dictator had the power to kill him right where he stood, so for now, he would appease him.

"Calm down, Black Doom," he said, "This is all going to plan."

"What plan, Finitevus?" the black leader inquired, "You have been sitting here all day, messing around with that book!"

The albino echidna glared down to said book. The black tomb, with the gold encrusted sides. The thousands upon thousands of pages, that held the information he needed within. How to channel the spirit of the gods, how to bring to life that powerful demigod. He was so ready.

"Doom, Doom, Doom," Finitevus said, waving his hand, "You will win, don't you see that? Nocturnus is powerful, yes, but you, Black Doom, is stronger."

"That is true," the alien said, stroking his own ego, "But that doesn't make things any less urgent, Finitevus. Meet me in the Emerald Chamber. We are performing the ritual now!"

The echidna glanced over to him, and nodded. Doom's burning snake eyes started to gleam, right before he sank through the ground. Finitevus gave a long and hard growl, while his golden orbs gazed elsewhere. Standing up from his chair, he started marching off down the halls. He could hear the harsh explosions of death echoing outside, but he didn't give a crap. His feet continued on, pass the moving statues, down some staircases, and eventually to a door. He pushed it open.

"C'mon, Tikal," he called out, "It's time to go."

She looked up at him with her blue eyes. She looked so feral right now with those injuries and markings all over her body. He could have sworn he heard some growls escape her lips, but he didn't care. He walked down to the girl, grabbed the chains, then pressed a button. Something caused the two silver cuffs on her hand to magnetize together. They were too powerful for her to pull apart though, much to her ire. He grabbed the actual chains next, and disconnected them from the cuffs.

Tikal was happy to be free from the chains, but she knew that wouldn't stay long. Gazing at the echidna before her, she started to wilt. He smiled, however, and his hand reached forward. He gripped her by the back of her head, then forcibly moved her forward. She yelled and growled against his hands, as he started to drag her through the halls. He didn't give a shit about the Nocturnus Tribe, or Black Doom, or the Black Arms! All he cared about, was Enerjak. Once the god was released, then he, and only he, would reign.

"Let go of me!" Tikal yelled, slamming those heavy silver cuffs into his side.

Growing angered by her actions, he increased the hold he had on her head, making her wince in pain. Suddenly, he was joined by a Gizoid. Its blue eyes shined in his face, while he wagged one of his fingers.

"Hold Black Doom, down!" he ordered, "Prepare for the Godfall."

The Gizoid beside him nodded. Tikal, on the other hand questioned out loud,

"What Godfall!?"

"You will see soon enough," Finitevus answered with a smile, "Just you wait, dear girl."

"No!" she yelled back, "Leave me alone! This has nothing to do with me!"

"This has _everything_ to do with you, Tikal!"

"No it does not! Let me go you monster!"

"Shut up!" he barked, "And deal with it, Tikal. It will all be over, soon enough."

She didn't, of course, and continued to sprout objections and rants. He began to ignore her, while his hand reached into his cloak, to pull out the book within. The sight of the book made him smile. It all came to this. Years of working, years of planning, were all going to fall to this. His lifes dream would be realized! The revival of Enerjak, and more importantly, the reconstruction of this damned planet! It will all be his, all of it. Just a little longer.

He stared out a window. A tornado was brewing.

…

Her shocking bolts of power constantly flew out. He dodged left, causing some of those blast to streak by just barely. Whatever they touched, would explode in a vibrant explosion. Another blast was heading toward him. Using his jet shoes, he dashed back, allowing the lightning blast to collide harmlessly with the earth. As sand, rocks, and debris was thrown skyward, he dashed to find a hiding spot. He could still hear her.

"What's up, Starman!" she yelled, "Why are you running!"

She caused the blue surges of electricity on her hands to fly into the air, forming a series of lines and curls. This lightning bolt that she was charging up, suddenly flew forward toward Shadow's position. The hedgehog leaped out-of-the-way right when the bolt hit the earth. This powerful explosion rocketed skywards, destroying even more of the arena they fought in. Overhead, Shadow could hear the harsh cackles of thunder and lightning. At first the hedgehog thought it was Lien-Da's sudden powers, but one glance up proved otherwise.

A storm was growing, a strong one in fact. Lightning, wind, and now rain, started to come. Shadow knew this. Last time he came to Glyphic Canyon, the area was constantly peppered by tornadoes, much to a certain echidna's displeasure. So why would the past be any different?

Despite the oncoming storm, and the ferocity it would surely be, the woman hadn't lightened up on her attacks. Her streaks of electricity constantly pierced the air, destroying all that it touched. The hedgehog knew he had to end this fight soon, or else. Either she would kill him, or this storm would. He wasn't going to let either of those things happen.

He dashed from his cover, zooming over the arena as he did so. Lien-Da's pinpoint aim constantly struck the area's he dashed around. He moved left or right, depending on where she would strike. Eventually, she got wise to his dodgy nature. Using her electrical powers in tandem, whenever she threw one blast at him, she would aim at the area she figure he'd be. The first usage of this tactic actually worked.

Shadow dodged the first attack, only to be hit by another. The blast threw him away, and slammed into the wall. He growled at first, as electricity moved through his body. Peering up, he saw yet another lightning bolt fly toward him. This woman was working his nerves. He leaped up high, dodging the bolt of power that fell upon his position. The explosion echoed behind him, as a thunder-clap roared over head. He felt the growing turbulence in the air increase, and it actually moved him off is feet. He flew into the ground, and tumbled around, before returning to his toes. Lien-Da retained her position, standing tall and erect against the growing storms, as she threw her lightning bolts toward her foe.

The hedgehog rolled into a ball, and began to spin. He skirted around the dusty field, as the wind screwed with his movements a bit. Bouncing off a wall, he homed in on Lien-Da. In midair, he dodged a lightning bolt, while he uncurled. Foot aiming out, he dive kicked straight into her face. Lien-Da was thrown back by the attack, uprooting sand and dust as she did so. She quickly returned to her feet however, her shocking eyes aimed directly on Shadow's position.

The hedgehog dashed forward with his fist raised. Throwing a punch, she dodged it. She leaped up then, replacing her position, with a powerful stream of electricity. The hedgehog himself leaped back, dodging the waves of intense pain.

Lien-Da landed away, right when he landed. His chest heaved up and down, while he fought furiously for air. Gazing at his foe, he saw that she too, was tired. But they wouldn't give up, no, not until their foe was dead. And to be honest, Shadow was sure he'd die first. Ever since Lien-Da gained those new lightning powers, she's gained the upper hand. Her powers had delivered more hits to him, than he had to her. And his body was showing it, too. Injuries marked and lined his body, all caused by her new ways.

"What's wrong, Starman!" she said, "Can't keep it up!"

"Who couldn't keep it up for you?" he retorted, rage in his voice.

Their repertoire made her chuckle, while her hands raised up high again. Focusing her powers, she caused lightning bolts to fall from the sky. They rained upon Shadow's position, sending him scurrying in many ways. He was getting sick of this.

Dashing to her position, he started to run around and around and around. He created a miniature tornado, lifting his foe off her feet. Through that tornado, he heard Lien-Da yell, while she shot out her many lightning bolts. He dodged them, but it was getting hard to do while maintaining his speed.

Suddenly, a powerful lightning bolt fell in the tornado. The explosion sent Shadow away, where he slammed against a column. His faux tornado over, Lien-Da fell to the earth with a thud. She peered up and over to the hedgehog, right when he got to his toes. She purred.

"C'mon, Starman," she said, "Why don't you just give up? It's over, don't you see?"

"Over for you," the hedgehog answered, "Let me guess, the pain is finally growing too much to bear?"

"Oh no," she said, waving her hand, "Pain is never-!?"

Lien-Da was buffeted by sand.

She was knocked off her toes by the sudden occurrence. Shadow raised an eyebrow at the sight, and looked up. Gravity began to shift in one direction, as the arena the two battled in started to crack and break. The hedgehog looked over the arena's edge, seeing a black, dusty tornado, roaring through. It tore the arena's walls away, showing just exactly why it wasn't there in the future.

Shadow's feet started to move toward the tornado. Using his jet shoes, he started to move back and away. If he got caught in that tornado, there was no telling where he'd end up. Faster and faster, he moved away, getting closer to the arena walls as he did so.

Suddenly, a black wire wrapped around his leg.

He peered down to it. The whip made him trip up, and fall. He started crawling, trying his hardest to escape that tornado. A tugging on the whip, however, locked him in place. Looking down at the whip wrapped around his leg, he started to untie it. But something stopped him.

"NO!" he heard Lien-Da cry.

Ruby eyes following the whip, he saw her. In the air. The tornado had already lifted her from her feet, and was now dragging her into the swirling vortex. The hedgehog shook his head at the sight. Was she still trying to kill him, even though she would, by affect, kill herself? So it seemed.

"This is where I cut things off!" he yelled at her, glaring down to the whip.

"Don't you dare do it!" she barked.

The thought of watching her be swallowed up by that tornado was a good one. But not one he would accept. To not do something, to not at least _try _would be wrong_._ For some reason, call it his heroism, or the thoughts of a certain princess, he began pulling on the whip. Staying in the past must have changed him. He was growing lenient, soft, it seemed.

"Damn you Tikal..." he whispered under his breath.

He watched Lien-Da get closer and closer, as he constantly pulled on that whip. This was stupid of him, he knew that. Who's to say that dominatrix wouldn't kill him for his mercy? No one but fate.

He got her close to him. Hand reaching forward, he clawed out for her grasp.

"Give me your hand!" he ordered.

Her lightning powers had now died out, fortunately enough. Touching an electrical surged hand wasn't a feeling he wanted to know.

Heeding his words, she reached out for him. At first, they swiped passed each other, but finally, he held on to her. He grabbed firmly onto her, and she did likewise.

Then why was she still slipping?

Shadow felt his body slide forward, as that tornado got closer. Lien-Da's frantic face made him hold on, because he didn't want her to die. Not if it could be prevented, at least. But here she was, slipping from his strong grasp. They were getting drenched in this rain, maybe that's what the cause of their problems were. They were both too wet. But Shadow wouldn't accept that.

He slowly started marching backwards. The pull on the tornado, and the hold of Lien-Da, however, made this very difficult. The suction of the wind increased now, making the hedgehog's footing loosen. He started dragging forward, but he wouldn't let go.

This was a very simple decision. He should have let go. But as he stared into her indigo eyes, her frantic face, her desperation, he saw something. Those eyes of hers, they were the eyes of a mother. And as hard as it was to say, he couldn't kill her, or watch her die, not at least without trying. He kills evil, not monsters.

But he couldn't keep this hold. The tornado was just too strong. If he had his powers, this would have been as easy as a simple Chaos Control, but that wasn't the case. He needed to make a decision. Save her, or save himself. Which would it be?

Nature decided for him.

The tornado picked up some debris. The twirling suction threw some of that rocky, concrete debris their way. They struck Shadow. He let go.

Farther and farther up in the air, Lien-Da flew. She tried to whip her way onto some other constructs, but they would break away thanks to the natural disaster. This was it. There was no escaping it. And all she had to say about it was,

"RUUUUUUUUUUTAAAAAAAAANNNN!"

Shadow punched the structure holding him into pieces. Gazing skyward, he watched that dominating mother fly into the swirling vortex of wind rain and sound. There was nothing he could do about it, not without killing himself as well.

She deserved it, in all honesty. She was evil, a killer, a torturer, a seducer. But she was, above all, a mother. And probably a loving one at that. That's what her eyes said. And eyes don't lie.

He spun around, and dashed up the arena walls. Returning to the dusty roads, he rocketed his way away from the tornado. It stopped its movements feet away, devouring the arena as it did so. Shadow didn't care thought. He needed to hurry.

Save Tikal, get the Emeralds, go home.

It wouldn't be easy. He knew it. It's never that easy.

* * *

_Maverick Talks! Again!_

_Like I promised in the last chapter. This one was looooooooooong! And a battle at that. Shadow versus Lien-Da! I know you were all waiting for it! But now its over, and I must talk._

_Jeeze, what to talk about. I guess I can start with Lien-Da. Remember what I said about Rutan? Yeah, he's Lien-Da's son. What I always enjoyed about Lien-Da (other than her sexiness) was her nature. Unlike most villains I know, she actually cares about her son. Surprising, I know, it's so hard to find villains who don't try to use their children for souls or energy or something like that. Lien-Da actually loves Rutan. And yes, I did hint at Rutan, though if you know who Lien-Da is, you'd already know she has a son. In the last chapter, when she was torturing Tikal, she mentioned consequences with sex. Obviously enough, Rutan was one, primarily because no one knows who that guys father is. Let's just say Lien-Da was a bit loose in her days. _

_Also, did you get the Pokémon reference? When it says Lien-Da was buffeted by sand? That happens in a sandstorm in Pokémon. Crap doesn't even make sense. What does, buffeted by sand, mean? And why does it keep killing my Pokémon!?_

_This is the second time I've used Glyphic Canyon in my stories. This one was way crazier though, with the place being a warzone. I used it last time in Maria Robotnik: Agent of__ but now I'm just rambling on. To be honest, this stage is one of my more favorite ones from the Shadow the hedgehog game. I don't know why, it's just real cool. Running around, killing aliens, dodging tornados and stuff, it's real nice. Then it flies in a later stage! I don't know, it just gives more insight on the Black Arms, something I need more of in the games. I mean, why do they have such religious temples sitting on earth? I guess I'll stick with my imagination because I'm sure I'll never get an answer for it._

_Do I have anything else to say? Hmm... Nope, I don't think so._

_Oh, wait. The chapter title is a reference to Wild Canyon, Knuckles' first stage from Sonic Adventure 2._

_Galvatron: Sixshot! Show them what a one man army can do!_

_*Sixshot kills all the aerialbots by transforming into five different forms.*_

_Sixshot: Its like shootin' cyber ducks in a barrel!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	24. Arise Great Enerjak

Arise Great Enerjak

The painful, cold grip, of his robotic hand, dug insensitively into her skin. He was squeezing so hard, forcing her to follow him, despite her protests. She tried to kick and punch at him, but her efforts were just so incredibly weak. She might as well have been a gust of wind, let a long a Master Emerald Guardian. And that mad doctor, he just kept tugging her along, his grip constantly increasing on her head. She started screaming now, as the pain of his fingers in on her head, grew to near unbearable levels.

Where was he taking her, and why did he have such a crazed look on his face? Who was this, Black Doom, person he mentioned before, and what was Godfall? Why do all of these things have to do with her? What ever the problems entailed, the Mayan princess was not about to wait and see. Not when she had a chance at escape. Her body may have been weak, but she could still do something. Anything.

"Just a little while further..." Finitevus murmured, as he brought her down this long sandy hallway.

She peered forward. They were heading toward this door, and a strange one at that. It had this marking on it, made of red spirals. A symbol representing something. Now that she noticed it, this same symbol lied all around the temple they sat in. It made Tikal worry. Whatever was on the other end of that door, she did _not_ want to be there. She needed to break free, either now, or never. She just needed a distraction.

They passed a window. Peering out, the orange echidna saw a great black tornado, ripping through the fields. Not only that, but she noticed the most strangest of creatures, being swept up into said tornado. Machinery too, machinery belonging to the Nocturnus Tribe. The storm that caused the tornado showed no signs of lessening too. In fact, it appeared to be growing. The rain grew strong and powerful, whipping every which way, surly bringing pain to all those unfortunate enough to be touched by it. Tikal could only imagine the pain the small water droplets were bringing. Was it equivalent to the pain she was feeling right now? Probably not, for no pain was equal to the kinds she was feeling.

She really needed to escape, to break free. But the chains and cuffs around her wrists made it impossible to do. She couldn't slam into him like she wanted to do, not with that grip. And thanks to his Chaos siphoning glove that lay attached to her head, calling upon her Chaos Powers was a no go. She needed help. It was impossible to break free, not alone at least. Just an inkling, morsel, of help. Anything, would be most oblige.

She sky suddenly brightened up. A white flash, of blinding proportions, took a hold of the air. Everything was illuminated by that one single flash, the battlefield, the rain, the tornadoes, the fighting, everything. Tikal's eyes closed shut, just to drown out the light in darkness. At that exact moment, she heard Finitevus growl, while the grip he held on her body, loosened ever so slightly. This was it. The bit of help she needed. It was either now, or never.

She rushed forward, with her entire body. The sudden explosion of force caught the mad Doctor of guard. He felt his toes slip from place, as one of his feet actually left the earth. Her elbow slammed into his shoulder-blade, moving him just a few feet forward. She dislodged his hand from her head freeing herself from that painful grip. The feel of air against the back of her head, pushed her forward even more. It also made her angry.

She didn't just stop at freeing herself, no, she kept going. Not until she felt that crush of pain. He forced her, up into the wall, hearing this painful cracking noise. Immediately, she leaped back, and her eyes opened. It all occurred in a few seconds, but it felt like slow motion. Now, time had returned.

Finitevus leaned up against the wall, while he rubbed his shoulder. Then his gold eyes snapped to her. If he grabbed her, then all of that would have been for naught. She wasn't going to allow that to happen. Immediately, she bolted in the opposite direction of that door. Her feet brought her farther and farther away, while his voice called out to her.

"TIIIKAAAAAAAL!" he growled.

Adrenaline, was what she was working off of right now. The mere thought of getting caught again, was enough to help her push forward. She could feel just how evil this place was, it made her skin crawl. Just how big was this temple? The sooner she broke free of it, the sooner she would be free of this evil. The storm outside was safer, and the maliciousness within these walls.

She broke to the temples lobby. She cleared the entire fleet of stairs down, in one leap, not caring for the pain it brought along. As she continued to move on, she felt as if the statues around her, were following her every move. She didn't care though. The exit was right there, freedom was only a few feet away.

There was an awkward sound. One of light, bending off of light, to explain it well. Tikal gazed down. A green bolt struck against her ankle. She watched said bolt, scar her deeply, sending blood flying across the air. She tripped up into the ground, the pain too much to keep standing. She slid across the earth for a few more feet, before stopping at the base of a statue. Hands grabbing her ankle, she peered up. At the top of the stairs she just ran down from, she saw Finitevus. He held that otherworldly gun in his hands, the muzzle of it, making smoke rise. His face looked so no-nonsense, as he trekked down the stairs ever so slowly.

"You must like pain..." he stated, "That's the only reason why you'd do something stupid like that."

She didn't answer. Instead, she started growling, like some feral beast. She leaned her back up against the statue she sat near, while holding up her fists. She continued to growl too, and those growls only increased, with each step he took forward.

"Oh please, shut up!" he ordered, "Did you forget who holds the power in this world?"

Tikal continued to growl, however. She knew he was right though. She knew that, in this area, right now, he could do with her what he pleased. She just didn't care anymore. Freedom was just so close, yet so far. She didn't care what happened to her, in her quest for it. She just wanted to be free, free from this evil canyon. Free to go home! She knew if he got his hands on her again, there would be none of that. He could threaten her all he wanted, but she wouldn't give in. Not now, not ever.

He analyzed her still defiant nature. If she wanted to be this way, he didn't care. He had ways of making her more, _compliant_. So, taking his hand from his cloak, he revealed that silver glove he's used many times before. The glove that held Shadow's Chaos Powers.

It started to surge with power, and it began shaking. The sight of it made Tikal pipe down. What was he planning on doing, kill her? If so, wouldn't that make moot his whole goals? Ya'know what? She didn't care! He could kill her, if he liked! She'd rather be dead, than to be used in some insidious plan, whatever it may be. So, she welcomed this. She waited for it.

The doors slammed open. Powerful gusts of wind tore into the air.

A blue bolt of light streaked through.

Finitevus' arm, the one that held the silver glove, was blown off.

The albino echidna screamed in pain, as his arm was separated from his body. The limb was knocked clear across the room, by the attack of unknown origins. Finitevus fell to his knees, as he gripped the area where his arm used to be. He also let out whimpering calls of pain, as his head moved further and further down to the earth.

Tikal was flabbergasted. What happened? Everything just moved by at such crazy speeds. She needed to see what the causer of it all was. In her mind, she had images of her dark hero, standing at the door. It made her head move, and quickly at that.

He wasn't there. Her blue eyes didn't fall upon red, like she hoped. Instead, they fell upon the green eyes, of a ruby echidna.

Imperator Dimitri stepped forward, while his Nocturnus gun, fell to his side. His face was so serious, as he peered forward toward the pained echidna doctor. His heavy steel boots, clashed against the brown brick floors, as he took these small steps forward. For a while, the only noise that echoed through the air, was his footsteps, and the sound of roaring wind. He grew closer, and closer toward the albino doctor, before stopping suddenly.

Finitevus' golden eyes peered up, seeing these verdant ones peer back down. And he was showing fear. Yes, the powerful doctor, with so much bravado, was showing fear. Dimitri's hand moved down, and fastened its way around the Doctor's neck, causing him to choke. The Imperator lifted him up high, before throwing him clear across the room. The doctor didn't stop, until his back slammed into one the statues of this room. The throw was so strong, Finitevus' body caused the erect stone sculpture to break into pieces. The albino roared out in even more pain, while his body fell to the earth. Tikal gasped. The sudden sound made the Imperator's eyes snap to her. The mere movement made the nubile princess pipe down.

Dimitri's green eyes returned to the albino's hide. Finitevus was trying to crawl away, but his efforts were all in vain. Dimitri walked up to him slowly, and upon his arrival, he slammed his boot, on his backside. The doctor called out in pain, as he felt the boot push down even further.

"I'm surprised, Finitevus," Dimitri whispered, his voice so powerful, so great, "I thought that body of yours was robotic. Shouldn't you not feel any of this? Or am I so strong, I can cause you pain?"

"Di-Mi-Tri!" the doctor croaked out, "Please!"

"Begging for you life?" the Imperator commented, chuckling lowly, "I guess this is expected. All beg for life, before me."

"Stop, Dimitri! Please!" he yelled, "I'm... Begging you!"

"Give me a good reason why," Dimitri commanded, "Tell me why I shouldn't crush your skull with my hands, ending your wretched life. Have you not joined forces with some alien warlord, in some vain attempt to bring Enerjak to life?"

"I can do it, Dimitri!" he called out, "That girl over there-"

"SILENCE!" he cut off, "I've had enough of this, Enerjak, business! Enerjak this, Enerjak that! You're some kind of fool, Dimitri! He's just some myth, a story we tell our children. A story you seemingly took to heart. Hmph... Poor man... I'm here for one thing, and one thing only, Finitevus. The Emeralds. I'll destroy all these, Black Arms, or whatever, take the Emeralds, and..." he smirked, "Well, you know what happens next, don't you?"

"Please Dimitri, please!" Finitevus begged, "I can do it! I can bring Enerjak! Give us ultimate power! That girl over there, Tikal, she can hold him! She and only she!"

"You think that a mere girl can hold the body of some god? You're stupider than you look, Finitevus!" suddenly, he lifted the Doctor, holding him by his neck, "Bring me to the Emeralds, Finitevus! And maybe, I'll consider allowing you to live."

He placed the Doctor on his toes, but his hands remained on his shoulders. To show he meant business, he pressed the barrel of his gun up to his head. Knowing that any kind of action on his part, would lead to sure death, he decided to listen to the Imperator behind him. His feet brought him along, and they started slowly for the stairs.

Tikal never brought her eyes away from them. They just walked, up that dusty staircase, and into the deep halls. They disappeared after a few long minutes, and when they did, the princess broke down. She felt so weak, so foolish, so stupid, so terrible. So many feelings she didn't want to feel, all of which were inside of her. And all she could do, to show these feelings, was cry, cry her beautiful blue eyes out. She held onto herself, while she fell to the side. Still crying. Freedom was right over there, all she had to do was walk for it. But she didn't. How long had she been here, suffering? Every moment that passed, she wished for her savior to come. And he never did. Where was he? Did they not have feelings for each other, feelings of love, of warmth? Then why did he leave her to be alone? Why hadn't he come, to save her? Why did he leave her in the clutches of these demons, to be whipped, tortured, and used? The worst part, it seemed, that when it all came to an end, it wasn't because of him. He wasn't the one who released her from these evil bonds. It was herself, and the Imperator.

So what now? She should just get up, and walk out. But she was to weak to do so. She couldn't stand, only lie here. So, that's all she did. She just lay there, crying.

…

His boot kicked the door open. The Emerald Chamber was much different looking from last time. The monsters that lined the wall before, were no longer there. Probably thanks to war that was being waged outside currently. The area still retained its otherworldly nature, however.

But the Imperator cared not for any of this. As the door he forced open swung wide, Dimitri peered into the empty room. He kept his grasp on Finitevus' arm, right until he took a few steps forward. Pleased enough with the Doctor's works, he threw him to the ground, sending him crashing into the Master Emerald. Finitevus growled on the ground, before his golden eyes moved up to the Imperator.

Dimitri appeared pleased with the sight of the Chaos Emeralds surrounding the seven Master Emeralds. As his feet brought him forward to touch the jewels of power, Finitevus gained the need to speak.

"You don't know what you're doing, Dimitri!" he barked.

"Do you want to live?" Dimitri retorted, "Then I recommend you pipe down."

"You idiot!" Finitevus yelled, "You can't stop Black Doom! He'll kill us all?"

"We seem to be doing a good job of keeping his forces in check." the Imperator responded, as he lifted the blue Chaos Emerald.

"No, you idiot!" Finitevus said, getting to his feet, "Black Doom is more powerful than you could ever imagine."

"Is that why you sided with him?" Dimitri questioned, his voice so calm.

"I had no choice," Finitevus yelled, "If I joined him, he would help me get the Emeralds. The components necessary to make Gizoids, the weapons of alien origins, I needed his help. It was the only way I could get the Emeralds, Dimitri!"

"Then," the Imperator claimed, facing him, "If you knew Black Doom was so powerful, and he'd kill us all, then tell me, tell me why you'd help him. Why did you decide to give him the Emeralds?"

"I would use them for myself," Finitevus answered, "I would bring Enerjak to life, and use him to destroy Black Doom. I would keep that alien away from us, save the world."

Suddenly, the Imperator started laughing. He placed down the blue Chaos Emerald in hand, while his feet brought him closer to the mad Doctor. Finitevus grew quiet, while his golden orbs eyed the Nocturnus leader before him.

"So what?" Dimitri said, still laughing, "You're some kind of hero? A defender of the lands!? That's so rich! Rich with lies! We both know what you're really after, Finitevus. You may have good intentions, but your heart is nowhere in the right place! You don't want Black Doom dead because he'll kill us all! You want Black Doom dead because he'll do what you want to do! You want to wipe out life on this planet, just so you can remold it into your own insidious ways. If Black Doom does that first, you'd be dead. Be honest, Finitevus, your just as bad as he is!"

Finitevus' lips grew into a smirk.

"Maybe," he answered, "But that doesn't make things any less urgent, Dimitri. You ruined the only chance we have at victory. Unless you go back and get that girl, you'll screw up everything!"

"Still trying to summon Enerjak, huh? Still trying to resurrect some myth?" Dimitri mocked.

"Enerjak is not a myth!" Finitevus roared, "He's the ultimate force of power in this universe!"

"If he's so strong," Dimitri stated, "Then why do you need some little girl? A mere child like the Master Emerald Guardian can't hold something of that level!"

"She's more powerful than either of us!" Finitevus stated, "Her strength is far beyond ours, Dimitri! She doesn't know it, but the Master Emerald has named her as its champion! She holds more Chaos Powers in her body, than you will in your entire life! Only she can hold the power of Enerjak, anything else would be to weak! _You'd _be too weak!"

There was a gust of wind, and when Finitevus looked forward, Dimitri was before him. The Imperator reached forth his hand, and grabbed the mad Doctor by the throat. Lifting him high, he started growling.

"Care to repeat that?" he inquired threateningly.

"You couldn't hope, to hold Enerjak," Finitevus stated, despite the position he was placed in, "If you tried, you'd die. He would rip you apart, limb from limb."

Silence. Nothing but it. Dimitri cocked his head to the side, while he scanned Finitevus' face closely. The Doctor was petrified with fear, but he remained adamant in his ways. Dimitri was surprised, he thought Finitevus would have folded by now. So, he decided to humor him.

"Fine," he said, dropping the albino echidna, "Prove it to me."

"Prove what?" Finitevus inquired, getting to his toes.

"Prove to me, that Enerjak exists. Prove to me that I, Imperator Dimitri, is too weak to hold a being of godlike proportions."

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Finitevus inquired.

The Imperator made his way to the Master Emerald.

"Make me Enerjak."

…

The hedgehog rolled into position. He lifted the alien gun in his hand, leaned it by his head, while he pressed his back up against the wall. His heart was moving up and down constantly, while his fur drooped down with rain and sweat. The wind was trying its hardest to break him from his resolve, but his course would not be shifted.

Peering over the corner, the hedgehog could see no beings waiting for him. No Nocturnus Tribesmen, no Black Arms, no Gizoids, no nothing. Just a long walk up to the temple doors. Behind him, however, was where all the action lied. That tornado still roared through the adamant roads, causing havoc upon all those it touched. But the temples themselves stood so strong against them. Just like they would years from now. Though the thought of writing something upon the walls, as a quick heads up to his past self did come to mind, the hedgehog decided not to. It would be wiser not to screw with the future, you know.

He dashed around the corner. His skates took him closer and closer to the temple before him. The wind was trying so hard to stop him, but he just wouldn't allow it. Fortunately, it backed off, right when his foot met the doorsteps. He trekked up the stairs in a black blur, and upon arriving, he spun around. He could see the entire pathway he took to get here. Funny, Knuckles would point out that same thing years from now. It was time like these, where he wished he could sit back and enjoy things. But of course, he couldn't for he had a job to do, and a woman to save.

He could feel her presence. It was so close.

He started walking back. His feet bringing him closer to the doorway, as the wind started to pick up again. He stepped into the darkened hall, with the rain at his back. As a preliminary, to stop the wind and rain, he closed the doors behind them. The stone slabs made quite the ruckus, when they slammed into one another.

The hedgehog breathed in and out, while his eyes closed shut. Being free of that rain was such a great feeling. It made him feel, as if all of this was coming to a close. He just needed to take a few more steps.

He heard sniffles.

At first, the hedgehog didn't know what to do. Somewhere in this room, someone was crying. He was so unsure of the sound, it stopped him in the tracks. His ears began twitching, however, as he started to analyze the voice closely. Only _she_ could make that noise.

"Tikal...?" he said lowly at first, "TIKAL!" he barked out then.

He dashed into the center of the room first, while his ruby eyes scanned closely everything. The statues in this room were looking at him, but he had already experienced this feeling, so he didn't care. One statue had been crushed it seemed, but the voice wasn't coming from that area, thankfully. His eyes moved over to the left end of the room.

He saw cerulean eyes gazing back.

"Tikal..." he said so lowly, his voice near inaudible.

He took a step forward. She scooted a bit back. At first, the hedgehog was taken aback by the movement. Why had she moved away from him? Regardless, he stepped forward again, his hands reaching out this time. She continued that defiant nature of her's, moving back as he constantly moved forward. The hedgehog wasn't sure what he should. Her demeanor, just wasn't something he was understanding, and it scared him. But he continued moving forward, and she kept moving back. The princess didn't get to far though, as her back suddenly met the wall. And he was still coming.

Her face, it contorted, into this odd combination of anger and fear. Her eyes were so sad, but her teeth were shown in full, shining brightly. He could see, little droplets of tears, swell in her eyes, and stream down her face. The sight of it, caused his ruby eyes to follow them the full length down. Upon doing so, he saw all these scars and marks, lining the full length of her body. It made him growl. What did they do to her!? He started to growl dementedly, as his ruby eyes closed shut. Her eyes closed shut as well, as these sobs of pain, lined her lips.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered, weakly, "I... I wasn't fast enough..."

No, he wasn't. How dare he have the audacity to say such words. As if, looking at her so frail and weak, was worse than actually going through, what she went through. She started growling again, while crying at the same time. It was like her body was having this intense, crazy war with itself, with both sides vying for her feelings. Both sides, wondering what to do about the hedgehog before her.

One side wanted to have no part of him. He was a demon. He came in, swooped her off her feet, and changed her. He introduced her to this new way of understanding love. That the body could be pleased in new ways. And then, just at the top, when she loved him the most, he disappeared. She was taken from her home, and when that happened, he was gone. Not until now, of course.

And the other side, it fought so hard to push those thoughts away. He wasn't some demon. He was her savior. He stood here, right before her, right now. Feeling remorse for his slow ways. The sight of her so fragile and weak, took a toll on his mind she may never understand. And he loved her. Had it not been for him, she would have never know how it was, to be loved in such a way. She would still be alone. When she was kidnapped, taken from him, he made his way over. He forced himself to keep going.

Why couldn't she make a decision? Both sides were so well versed, so well realized. They could both be right, both be wrong. And all of it placed her mind in a maze, a maze she felt only he could help her through.

She felt him. His arm slid under her neck, and under her legs. She opened her eyes. He wasn't that black furred, red-eyed demon who fell from the stars. No, he was glowing. This angelic blue, lined his body, from head to toe. His eyes, weren't burning crimson, like always, for instead, they were shining blue, filled with hope, compassion, love, even.

No. Shadow the hedgehog wasn't a demon. In fact, he wasn't an Angel. There was only one word that described him, in such a perfect way.

Shadow the hedgehog, was the Starman.

He kissed her. It was the only way, at least he felt was the only way, to calm her of these problems. She at first was strong defiant, trying her hardest to force his lips away from her's. But eventually, she melted into it. Her mind went black, as the touch of his lips against her's, sent tingles through her spine. Her arms, wrapped around his neck, holding him close, while his tongue moved in to meet her's. The taste of it, sent shivers through her. She could feel her stone face, soften, as his lips constantly attacked her. She tried her hardest to close the gap between their bodies, despite the fact that they were already so close. She just didn't want to be left alone again. She didn't want to be apart from him anymore.

She wanted to stay in his arms, forever.

But it would not be. The hedgehog placed her down on the ground, while their lips parted. She let out a few whimpers, as her blue eyes opened up. His fingers lined down the side of her injured body, before meeting the heavy silver cuffs around her wrists. With an easy tap, it cracked open, and fell from her hands. In awe, she gazed at the chains that now sat at her toes. And then, her eyes moved up. He was still glowing, but now that the bonds around her wrists were freed from her, she could feel the energy.

"Shadow... You're..."

"I know..." he answered, as his hand reached away, "I believe I have _this_ to thank for it."

He withdrew the green Chaos Emerald seconds later, and his eyes moved back. Crouching down, he grabbed his hand, and placed that Chaos Emerald into her opened palm. This smile lied on his lips as he did so, though she knew he was hiding more. And because of this, she wasn't going to let him get off.

"Shadow, where are you going?"

"Just," he whispered instead, "Take this. And run as far as you can."

"What are you going to do?"

"And whatever you hear," he whispered instead, "Don't come back, okay?"

"No!" she suddenly barked, grabbing a hold of him, "You listen here, Shadow!" these tears started to pour, "You don't know, what I went through! You are not leaving me again!"

He stared into her blue eyes. The sight of them, filled with so much pain, hurt him deeply. That's why he wanted her to go.

"I know," he whispered, "But I'm not leaving you. As long as you keep this Emerald, I'll be able to find you, Tikal. Now go. Whatever's about to happen, I don't want you to be involved.

She grew quiet at first. Before her voice piped up again.

"What's about to happen?" she inquired.

"I don't know..." he answered.

…

He lied on the Master Emerald. That face of his was so stoned cold, as he peered endlessly into the ceiling. The seven Chaos Emeralds around him started to surge with power. He heard that insane Doctor, give out these chants and prayers. Such a foolish man. This would never work. He would just continue to humor him.

The storm outside was growing more violent. If the Imperator was any mere man, he would be worried. But of course, he is no normal man. He is the Imperator, the Great Dimitri! Leader of the Nocturnus Tribe! And the foolish Doctor believes he cannot hold some mere myth? Finitevus may have been a genius, but it was no mystery that he's a nutcase.

He still continued to pray and chant, how much longer would this go on? He had an armada to lead, and a battle to win. The sooner this display was over, the sooner he could get to wiping this planet free of that alien scum. Did Finitevus truly believe this crap would work? Everything he was saying, was forgotten ages ago, known only by fools and children as stories. Then why did he believe it all to be true? Who knows, who cares?

His verdant eyes closed shut, as he focused on those chants.

_Arise Great Enerjak_ over and over again, like a broken record. The Doctor's words were rapidly beginning to annoy the Nocturnus leader. He just couldn't wait for this to be over, so he could get to work. Once this all proved to be fake, he was going to crush the Doctor's windpipe, followed shortly by his head. Yeah, that sounded like a good fate for the evil zealot.

Suddenly, this sharp pain jolted through him. His usual stone face contorted into this shocked one, as he felt his spine jolt up and down. He finally opened up those forest eyes of his, so he could see what was going on.

_Arise Great Enerjak_ that doctor was still saying in a language long dead. Wait. How did _he_ know the language was long dead? It was just some weird, near otherworldly, sounded words, but the Imperator understood every word of it.

Now he was beginning to fret. But he didn't show it. This was just Finitevus' genius intellect, and his own mind playing with him. There was no Enerjak, he was just some story parents tell children. That's all.

Another jolt of pain. He growled out now. The fun of proving Finitevus wrong was beginning to melt away.

The Emeralds, they started dancing. Leaving the wooden poles they sat perched on, they began to float around the wailing Imperator. Those green eyes of his watched them, as they began to spin, faster and faster, around his body. The pain only continued, in fact, it actually increased. He saw green bolts of energy surge from the Master Emerald, and into his body. He growled, and roared, as the pain constantly increased. The Chaos Emeralds, continued to grow in speed, as this torrent of wind took the air.

His mouth opened, and from it, he let out a great scream.

The roof exploded.

He peered into the storming skies, as rain started to pelt him. The Chaos Emeralds continued their dance, creating this vacuum as it did so. The Imperator felt his fur fly and move upwards, as this tornado of godly proportions formed thanks to the Chaos Emeralds frenzied dance.

"ARISE GREAT ENERJAK!" Finitevus' roar came, "ARISE! AND JUDGE THIS WORLD!"

The Imperator screamed out. His green eyes closed shut. And when they reopened. They were red.

Enerjak, has, arisen.

The god leaned up. His face, showed absolutely zero emotion. He got up from the Master Emerald, and the seven Chaos Emeralds dropped to the earth. In shock and awe, Finitevus stared at him, unsure if his chants had actually worked. Then the god reached down to one of the Emeralds, and grasped it in his hand. His red eyes started shining.

"Chaos. Control."

The green jewel in his hand expelled a bright light, blinding all who looked at the area. Once said light reappeared, the Imperator looked different.

Those red quills of his flowed in an aquatic fashion, for this indescribable power floated through him. A helmet, a helmet made of pure _gold_ lied on the god's head, with a red jewel incrusted in the middle. The small holes for eyes that lied within, showed nothing, only the red glow, of his bloody orbs. Every inch of his body, was wrapped in this black, skin-tight, clothing, allowing absolutely no glimpses at his godly body. Golden shoulder blades, lied on his shoulder, and where also attached to a long, flowing red and black cape. The belt around his waist, was also made of gold, while flowing into this gold and black colored skirt and loin cloth. On the gods feet, these golden sandals, that flowed up and over his knees, covering them with armor. But the most deadliest thing about this immortal being, was his hands. Over his knuckles, were golden gauntlets, with sharp, long, dagger like blades sticking from it.

There was no more, Imperator Dimitri. Standing before the mad albino doctor, was the god, Enerjak.

Finitevus' life dream had been realized. And all he could do, was stare at it. Speechless.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Oh yes, yes, yes! Can you feel it! That storm of battles that's going to come ahead? Let's see what we have now. Shadow's gotten back his powers, Black Doom is somewhere, and worst of all, Finitevus has finally revived the Echidna God, Enerjak! If you know the Sonic Archie Comics, then you know that Enerjak, is not something to mess with, and I will show why. Now that I think about it, I might be the first person to use the crazed echidna god in a story. Then again, that could just be because I've never read one. Huh._

_Boy, I can't wait to write what happens next. I already have it in my head of course, so I'll just go on daydreaming about it. _

_I wish I could say more, but everything in this chapter is pretty straight forward, save for Doom's absence which will be shown next time. I suppose I could talk about something important in all my stories though._

_How do you guys feel about the fighting? Whenever I'm reading a fanfic, fight scenes either never happen, are incredibly bland, or happen off-screen (which pissess me off). You all have been reading my story, meaning you've read the fights, right? Do you enjoy them? Whenever I write a fight scene, I play it out in my head. Every move, every attack, every detail. So when I translate it to the story, things get very in-depth. Do you agree? I don't know. I suppose you can say I'm self conscious. I don't want people to be unhappy with my fight scenes, ya'know? I want everyone to enjoy them. Oh well, now I'm just rambling._

_Sometimes, when I describe Dimitri's green eyes, I call them verdant. To you, that's nothing, but to me, it reminds me of my Venasuar. I named him Viridis._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	25. Clash of the Titans

Clash of the Titans

He did not move. Movement, was something that was beneath him. A being of his caliber, a _god_ of his caliber, does not walk. And yet, it was bound by mortal rules. Did he have any emotions? Lying beneath that golden helm, no one could tell. Did he even exist? No breath, came from his covered mouth, nor did his chest move up and down, with a heart. It was hard to accept this. To take in the fact, that a god now walked among mortals.

He took a step forward. The sand at his feet, rose into the air. He took another step forward. Once again, the grain near his toes moved skyward. His hands moved to his backside, grabbing one another, as his feet constantly brought him forward. Where was he going? And why?

The Doctor that brought him to life remained in awe, as the being of celestial proportions moved away. All his life, he dreamed about this. To bring Enerjak to life, to revive a long believed to be nonexistent god. Some parts of him didn't believe it. Years upon years of work, and actually happened? No, the more skeptic parts of his mind believed otherwise. It felt as if this was all to impossible. It wouldn't take that much to convince it, however. Just the touch, and all of his doubts would be cleared.

As the god walked away, ever so slowly, he stepped forward. Though his footsteps were loud, it appeared as if Enerjak could care less, for he didn't stir in the least bit. Finitevus' golden eyes locked sight on the edge of the god's cape. Though it was long, it wavered just above the earth, as if the ground didn't even have the right to touch it. But Finitevus believed opposite. His hand touched the black cowl.

He shouldn't have done that.

There was a force, a powerful one at that. Finitevus' hand and body was thrown away, slamming into a wall thanks to that invisible blow. He groveled on the ground in pain, as this mystical jolt thrived through him. It was true! That was _him_. Enerjak! It was Enerjak!

Finitevus got to his feet, as his face turned into this smiling visage. He couldn't believe it, though he knew it to be true. He had finally, after so many years, so many attempts, so many failures, brought to the earth the god Enerjak.

But where was he going?

Quickly, the zealot Doctor ran to the doorway. Gazing out into the dusty temple halls, he saw Enerjak was still walking, taking his sweet time. Was the god coherent? Finitevus wasn't sure at all. Other than when he brought his clothing here, the god had said absolutely nothing. He made no comments on the area, nor did he pay attention to the overzealous echidna, not even when he touched his cape. He remained stoic and indifferent to his existence, as if he didn't matter. But of course, he _didn't_ matter. What does matter, when compared to a god?

Finitevus needed to get his attention. He needed to know, and understand, what the god had in store. What _they_ had in store.

"Enerjak?" he called, stepping behind him, "Enerjak are you okay?"

The god stopped. Finitevus did too. He was rendered speechless by the god's sudden lack of movement. Did his call work? Did he hear him? To be honest, he didn't want to know. He was rendered terrified by Enerjak's demeanor shift.

Slowly, his head turned over. The red eyes he owned, peered long and hard into Finitevus' very soul. This is no exaggeration. He was literally peering into Finitevus' _soul_. And the Doctor could feel it. He could feel the individual layers of his supernatural being, being peeled, level by level, through Enerjak's eyes alone.

Enerjak's hand raised. Finitevus watched, as the god pointed directly toward him. He could feel his heart stop at the sight. Slowly, the god's hand moved away, and instead pointed at the wall beside them. A green sphere of pure energy suddenly formed in the god's hand. All the light appeared around that orb, casting everything else in a shade. The orb suddenly launched out, and crashed into the wall. It exploded.

The wind outside had picked up. Everything was swarming in a torrent of wind, sound, and rain. Finitevus covered his eyes as he tried to drown out the storm. He could hear cackles of lightning, and one of them brought his eyes open once more.

Enerjak was there.

Finitevus fell back in fear, as the god stood high above him. The Doctor didn't know what to do, as he peered into the red eyes of that echidna god. He would gasp, but that action would only anger the god further, he knew that.

"FIIIIIIINIIIIIIITEEEEEEEVUUUUUUUUSSSS!" Black Doom's voice roared.

…

The two held onto one another, as their eyes peered to the sky. Tikal's frantic nature, had died out only a few minutes ago, right around the time the power surges ended. Now, all she did, was hold him tight, digging her face, into his white crest. And he? He focused his attention on what just happened.

So much power. He felt it all, rumble through the earth, rumble through the air, rumble through _himself_. What was it that caused such a thing? Finitevus? Though the answer seemed believable, it was equally debatable. Finitevus was powerful, yes, but not that powerful. Whatever caused the energy surge he was feeling, was still here. And it wasn't the doctor. With each footstep, the hedgehog felt power rush through the temple. It wasn't a feeling he was enjoying.

"Shadow, please..." she whispered.

He moved his ruby eyes down to her, peering into her big blue ones. As he did so, he noticed the individual scars on her body. Every time he saw them, it angered him, as well as hurt him. As if gazing upon her injuries, was like gazing upon his own failures. And yet, she continued to worry about him. And all he could do about it, was frown.

"Just do as I told you." he ordered, placing the grassy green Emerald in her hands.

She peered into its shining brilliance, before snapping her eyes back up to him. He glared down at her in such a domineering way, shooting down any words she had before she even said them. It made her swallow her spit, and grow silent. His feet brought him away seconds later, moving down the temple walls. Still feeling that being of power, he started to think. What was it? Did Finitevus bring that thing here? Whatever the case may be, he was praying he didn't have to fight it. All he wanted to do, was get the Emeralds, then get out.

But of course, fate had other plans.

"FIIIIIIINIIIIIIITEEEEEEEVUUUUUUUUSSSS!" Black Doom's voice roared.

The hedgehog's crimson gaze snapped to the temple's ceiling, as the call entered his ears.

…

The echidna god shifted his attention away from the doctor before him, and instead to the hole in the wall he just created. He peered out of the hole, and into the storming canyon he lied within. Despite all the wind and rain, not one droplet of water actually touched him. It all moved away, just before it touched his body, as if they didn't have the right to touch him.

But that didn't matter. He saw something, approaching them. There was a swath of darkness, at the base of the canyon, and inside said darkness, he saw individual eyes glaring out. A cackle of thunder brought to order this god, as he walked out of the hole immediately. His feet met air, but he did not fall as expected. He just continued to walk, and he did so over completely nothing.

In shock and awe, Finitevus glared at the god. He climbed out in chase, though his actions were fruitless. He trekked up the side of the temple he stood in, following Enerjak's every celestial movement. The god walked forward a few more feet, before he suddenly leaped up. He appeared as a golden light, as he streaked through the air, and landed on a tall butte.

His glowing red eyes peered forward endlessly, staring at absolutely nothing. The darkness within the canyon itself continued to rise, resembling a cloud of darkness. Yes, a cloud of darkness. It rose and rose, but one sprouted away from the rest.

Black Doom floated down to meet the echidna before him. He landed on a butte directly opposed to Enerjak, while his hand removed pieces of Gizoid from his cloak. He looked angry, well, angrier than usual. His three red eyes were filled with rage and hate, as he traded looks with the god before him. Though the ethereal being obviously had power, Doom cared not. He merely squinted.

"And who are you!" he inquired, "Where is that cancerous lump, Finitevus!"

Enerjak's head cocked up.

"It's... over... Doom!" Finitevus' voice yelled.

The albino echidna, despite having one hand, somehow climbed the butte Enerjak stood on. After bringing his head up on the standing giant, he sent his golden orbs over to the alien lord. Finitevus started laughing, as he glared at him. Once he got to his feet, he out stretched his arm, allowing the rain to hit him on the face. He took a deep breathe then, and his sight snapped back to the alien lord.

"You feel that, Doom?" he asked, "Can't you feel the power? The winds of change? The god that is before you!?"

"You will pay for your betrayal, Finitevus," Doom stated, voice seething with rage, "Sending Gizoids to hold me back, you've been planning this since the beginning, haven't you!?"

The albino echidna chuckled dementedly, as he returned his sight to the alien leader.

"So, this was the result of your plan?" Doom asked, "To super charge a mere echidna like yourself?"

"Oh Doom, you fool," Finitevus stated, "Don't you see what's before you? Can't you feel how fruitless everything is now? You're life, your plans, your _people_ are over!"

"Strong words," Doom answered, "From a weak-minded fool..." his gaze shifted away to Enerjak, "So you're the reason, behind Finitevus' deception?" the alien chuckled, "Just another echidna, it seemed. You may look grandeur, but I doubt you can act it."

His answer, was Finitevus' chortles.

"Kill him, Enerjak!" the doctor _commanded_, "Destroy him!"

His words met the god's ire. The next thing Finitevus knew, his neck, was firmly in Enerjak's hand. The echidna god lifted him high, as a crack of thunder echoed about. The doctor's bravado so quickly melted away, as he looked down at the god holding him in fear. Enerjak showed zero emotion in his actions, something surely aided by his golden helmet.

"You. Dare. Command. _Enerjak_?"

The voice was so low, so strong, so intense. To put it in simply, it was godly, as if it didn't demand respect, it _stole _respect. At first, the Doctor wasn't sure what to say. He truly wasn't expecting an answer from the echidna god. When Enerjak increased the pressure on his neck, however, he gained the strength to speak.

"No, Enerjak," Finitevus answered, "I wasn't commanding you!"

"You claim that Enerjak was wrong?"

"NO!" Finitevus answered, being caught in a loop-hole.

"Listen here, _Finitevus_," the god commanded, "In fact," his voice grew louder, louder than the thunder in the sky, "ALL LISTEN! I AM ENERJAK! THE RECTIFYIER, THE HEALER, THE _SAVIOR_. I HAVE WATCHED THIS PLANET, FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE EXISTED, AND ALL I CAN SAY IS, I'M DISAPPOINTED. ALL OF YOU, APPEAR SO PREOCCUPIED, WITH MURDER, AND KILLING, AND STEALING. WELL NO MORE. I HAVE DECIDED TO GRACE YOU ALL WITH MY APPEARANCE, TO PAST JUDGEMENT ON THEE! IF YOU ARE FOUND INNOCENT, THEN I SHALL SPARE YOU. BUT IF YOU ARE NOT, THEN I WILL GIVE A SENTENCE MATCHING YOUR CRIMES." his red gaze shifted down, meeting Finitevus' terrified gaze, "Starting with you, Finitevus..."

"No..." the echidna said, "No, I brought you here."

"And for that, I thank you..." Enerjak answered, "Your actions helped bring me to the earth. But you are a very, very, sinful man. Evil, you have destroyed and killed so much in your mindless pursuit in power. Worst of, you thought you could use me, to help you remold the world. Actions like that are not looked upon, Finitevus."

"NO!"

"I have passed my judgment, Finitevus. You're sentence?" he threw to the doctor to the ground, "Death..."

The echidna's golden eyes opened wide in fear. Within Enerjak's palm, another orb of power formed. He aimed the blast down, where the energy pinpointed itself on Finitevus' hide. The doctor raised his hand in a vain attempt to defend himself. Enerjak fired forth his blasted. The orb struck Finitevus square in the chest. Instead of exploding though, it carried him off of the butte, and into another one. Finitevus slammed into the rocky side, where the blast finally exploded. The butte rippled from the force of the explosion, and crumbled a second later. From one mere hit, the entire natural formation broke to pieces.

Enerjak watched his carnage, as the rocks fell and fell and fell, disappearing into the dark crevices of Glyphic Canyon. His ears started twitching, wants the sound of clapping, and chuckling, came through the air.

"Impressive," Black Doom commented, "But not enough."

Enerjak stared over at the alien lord, his red eyes shining.

"Black Doom..." he stated, "You are just as bad as Finitevus, if not more so. Many planets have fallen thanks to you."

"Indeed..." Doom said, being proud of his actions, "And this one shall too."

"The world is mine to judge, Doom," Enerjak stated, "You may try to take it, and you will fail."

"Challenge me if you dare, echidna," Doom stated, raising his hand, "But you will fail."

The earth started shaking. All around the canyon, this great earthquake roared to life. Black Doom started floating, higher and higher. His other hand raised then, causing the storms in the sky to start spinning. Lightning surged through the clouds, as the wind grew even stronger. And in spite of all of this, Enerjak stood on that same butte, not moving in the least bit. Suddenly, a shade casted itself over the god. His red eyes looked to the causer, seeing a bolder of greater size hang above him.

It crashed down upon him, breaking the butte he stood on violently. Doom's sadistic chortles started to echo then, as his burning red eyes peered down to the area the god once inhabited. His moment of victory was short-lived, however. The bolder he used to crush Enerjak suddenly began to emit light, and the next moment, it exploded. Rocks were thrown in every which way, but once the turmoil settled, Enerjak remained.

"You dare strike a god?" Enerjak inquired.

The echidna god slammed his hands into one another. Great amounts of power began to surge through his fingertips, taking the form of green lightning bolts. As his hands pulled apart, they created a great green sphere, created only from Chaos. The god lobbed forward the energy sphere, sending it careening through the air. Doom's gaze squinted at the sight, while his hand raised up high. He struck the orb with his hand, causing it to explosion. The effect sent him flying away, but he stopped himself quickly. When his red gaze returned forward, he had Enerjak peering back.

"It's a shame that I have to touch you directly," the god said, "But you must learn your place."

As Doom's head cocked to the side, Enerjak pulled his fist back. The appendage suddenly thrusted forward, those golden spikes on the knuckles cleaving into Doom's chest. The alien lord cried out, as the spikes drew his green blood. They flew through the air so flawlessly, painting some of Enerjak's golden armor a jaded green. And he kept punching. Over and over again, in a piston like fashion, he punched the demented overlord, drawing even more blood. It didn't end until Doom thrusted out his hands, causing an invisible force to knock the god away, albeit barely.

Doom's three red eyes peered to his chest, seeing the green that seeped out. He grumbled dementedly to himself, as his hands dragged up and over the individual wounds.

"I see..." he growled, "It seems I underestimated you. But not by much..." he peered up to the god, who continued to float before him, "You may be a powerful rodent, but you are a rodent nonetheless."

The alien lord started to shine a bright light, as these individual vortexes appeared around his body. The purple pathways started to pulsate, and from them, meteorites flew out. Enerjak brought up his fists in a defensive position, blocking the meteors that pelted his body. Unlike any other being, he didn't fold from the impressive force, he pushed through it. He got closer and closer to the god, and once he stood before Doom himself, he punched forth. His fists merely shattered a fake visage, however.

Enerjak pulled back, and the meteors ended. They were instead replaced with an order.

"UNGUARD! SWIFT STRIKE!"

The god spun around, seeing Doom raise his hands. A purple spinning blade appeared at the alien's base, spinning at incredible speeds. Doom pushed forth his hand, and the blade glided toward the god. Now the god was annoyed. He raised his hands, forming yet another energy blast, and threw it forward. It collided with the purple blade, sending it flying elsewhere. The energy cut straight through a cliff, cleaving it in half perfectly.

Doom was impressed. He had never seen such a thing happen. This _god_ may have been more than he originally expected. It didn't intimidate him, however, he just needed to get into a prime position.

So, the alien leader grew on the retreat. He started flying backwards, while sending blasts of energy forward. Growling, Enerjak took after him, returning fire whenever he saw fit.

…

"Shadow," the nubile princess called, "Do you see this?"

She stared in absolute awe, at the battle unfolding before her. Each attack, each strike, sent shock-waves through the air. She could feel the earth quake, every time a hit landed. Each occurrence, made the wind blow in her direction, tossing up sand and sound. One attack, literally blew her back onto her buttocks. Never before had she witnessed a battle of such proportions.

And it hurt her.

She couldn't stand the sight, but she couldn't take her eyes off of it. The tactics the two were employing, the style at which they fought, it was mesmerizing. And she hated it. She didn't want to feel this way, but she couldn't help but to. She began wondering, what if she was in that battle. Would she be able to take the pain they were taking, fight the way they were fighting? She was a strong woman, but to battle a god, and battle a demon. She didn't know what to do.

She turned around. The hedgehog she had fallen for, was kneeling down near a statue. His hand reached forward, grabbing the robotic appendage belonging to a, currently deceased, echidna. It twitched lightly when he lifted it, and the sight of the movement, made him growl. She watched, as the hedgehog latched his hand on the torn off one, and slid the silver glove off of it. He wagged it around for a few more seconds, before placing the silver gauntlet on his own hand. His hand started flashing.

The room began shaking violently, as growls exited the hedgehog's maw. Chaos Energy was expelled from the glove, to fly all about the room, and eventually, into the hedgehog holding said glove. His body constantly spasmed, as it absorbed the energy being given to him. He started to cradle the appendage, as his growls gave way to snorts of pain. And then, his body flashed. He grew blinding to stare at, forcing Tikal to gaze away, less she damage her eyes. But this only went on for a few seconds. Moving down her arms, she peered at the figure with her blue eyes.

He stood more pronounced that he did before, and his breathing had regulated. She watched, as he slid the silver glove off of his hand, dropping it to the earth. He floated his foot over the glove for a few seconds, before slamming it down, crushing the Chaos Siphon in one, quick blow. The small pieces of the armament flew in different directions, as residual amounts of Chaos Energy dissipated into the air. He turned around then, and started walking.

"Shadow..." she whispered, as his frame neared the door.

He came to a stop immediately, and his crimson gaze peered into her.

"Run, Tikal." he ordered, with a point of his finger.

"No..." she answered instead, "Shadow, please, don't tell me you're about too..."

He nodded, while his head turned back to face the exit. His foot moved forward, but her arms held her back.

"No, Shadow," she stated, "Please don't."

"You don't want me to fight?" he inquired.

She shook her head.

"I don't want you to fight," she stated, "It's evil. And vile. And wrong, and... and..."

"And...?" he asked.

"Let's just run away, Shadow," she whispered, bringing her head forward, "Let's just run away. From all of this. From the Nocturnus Tribe, from the Knuckles Tribe, from everything. Let those two _monsters_ kill each other, Shadow, and let's just go. No one will know what happens to us, and no one will care... Please...?" she started crying, "I'm sick, and tired, of all this fighting! Its brought nothing but pain and misery, to everything, to all of us! Let's just go!"

He turned around and faced her. Her tear full face peered at him, as his hands grasped her's tenderly.

"It's more than that..." he whispered, "I wish I could, Tikal. I wish I could just run away with you, and be free of all this. But I can't... Doom won't be able to fight Enerjak, and if he dies... well... let's just say I won't be here..." he brought her closer, "I don't like what you did to me, Tikal. I really don't... but I'm happy it happened..."

And then he kissed her. To many, to most, it could be seen as a farewell one. But not to her. This kiss said, 'Just wait for me'.

He broke off a moment later, and his feet started for the exit once more. She watched his frame disappear through that doorway, and stop right at the edge of the temples' stairs.

"Now get out of here!" he commanded.

He didn't want for a response on her part, he just dashed off. The air was shaking thanks to those warring sociopaths, meaning his job would be just a bit harder. Worst part, he couldn't directly face Black Doom, not without screwing up his own creation. Too add to that, he still held great animosity toward his _father_ meaning he had to also hold back his rage, so he doesn't kill him in the past. Easier said than done, of course.

But enough of that.

He skirted down the dusty highways, growing closer and closer to the battle. As he did so, he found one of Finitevus' dead Gizoids. The purple cloak the Gizoid was garbed in, still lied on its body. Without loosing his speed, he swiped the article of clothing off of the machine, wrapping it around his neck as he did so. A few yards down, he came across the dead body of a Nocturnus Tribesmen. He took the helmet off of the warrior, and slid it onto his head. With the cloak and helm on, he practically changed his appearance, resembling some sort of magician, more than he did himself. The cloak covered his back quills perfectly, while the helmet covered his face just as well. The only downsides he could find, was the cape could take some time to get used too, and the helmet smelt kinda funny. It also was made specifically for echidnas, so he'd have to get used to that quickly as well.

Regardless of the issues he was having with his clothing, the battle was still the same. He needed to, somehow, stop a _god_, defeat Black Doom, and do all of this without dying himself, and without revealing himself. Yeah, as cocky as he was usually, this fight would need its own share of precaution.

He reached the end of the road. The warlords were fighting above him. Time to get a move on.

…

Black Doom was sent back by the strike. His head shook violently, as his eyesight saw stars. Once those three snakes of his readjusted themselves, he peered forth. Enerjak was flying forward, his hands charging up another blast. The green orb in the god's hands grew greater and greater, with each passing second. There was a clap of thunder, as Black Doom summoned a rocks to his side. He lobbed the boulders forward, sending them crashing into the godly echidna. But Enerjak showed no fear, or caution. He just flew straight through the attack, his hands still charging up that blast of pure, unstable, energy. The green blast flew forward, forming a beam instead of the usual explosive sphere. Said beam slammed through the boulders Black Doom had at the ready, and struck him in his chest. Searing, burning pain entered the alien king's chest, as the blast sent him careening backwards. He crashed into a butte, causing it to fall atop him.

Once again, he found himself gasping for air, as his foes last attack made him winded. When he peered forth, Enerjak was before him, arms crossed in a disappointed manner. Doom, not being one to be mocked, laid his hand on his head, sending forth a telekinetic blast. The attack sent Enerjak back, but not far enough for the alien lord to be safe. He just stopped a few yards away, only to shift his shining red gaze back.

He pulled back a few more feet, but not to retreat, instead to gain momentum. Once he gained the space he wanted, he rushed forward, fists out first. The alien lord braced for impact against the surely devastating move. He couldn't' dodge it in time, and there was very little he could do in terms of counterattacking, so all he could do was wait for the inevitable.

It never came.

"CHAOS BLAST!" a command was given.

Black Doom looked to his right. Enerjak looked to his left. They watched as a red sphere of unknown origins flew directly toward them. Immediately, Enerjak dashed back, just in time for the blast to swoop past harmlessly, and destroy a rock formation some miles away.

Annoyed by the sudden interruption, the god roared out, while his head spun to meet the deliverer of the attack.

"Who dares attack Enerjak!" he roared out.

Standing there, on this cliff side, a figure, much akin to his own, wearing a dark plated helmet, and a cape covering his body. This being stepped toward the edge of the cliff, before leaping off. He didn't fall to far, however, as these flames sprouted from his feet, keeping him afloat. The figure moved closer, and closer to the two, before he stopped, the three beings now forming a perfect triangle.

"Who, are you?" Enerjak inquired, the words sounding more like a command, however.

The being stared directly into the god though, before a scoff came.

"It seems," he said, his voice so low, resembling death, if it cold be placed into words, "That you aren't nearly as omnipotent as you believe, Enerjak..."

The god gave a roar.

"WHO ARE YOU!?" he demanded, "Be you mortal, or god."

The mysterious figure slumped his shoulders, down, as his hands hid back into his purple cloak.

"I am neither mortal, nor god," he claimed, "I am the Starman. Sent from the heavens, Enerjak," he glared up, "To deal with you."

The god let out a chuckle, while his red eyes shined brighter.

"Deal with, me? Enerjak? Foolish Starman, don't you see? I have been sent from the Heavens to pass judgment on these mortals!"

"You're orders are misguided, Enerjak" the Starman answered, pointing forward, "You have no right to judge these people."

"I HAVE NO RIGHT!" Enerjak barked, not believing his words, "Tell me, Starman, are you really sent from the Heavens? Your grasp of the Chaos Force appears to be great, so too is the fact that I've never met you before, and so, I cannot pass judgment upon thee."

"And it will stay that way," the Starman answered, "Last chance, Enerjak. Stop trying to pass judgment upon these mortals."

Chuckles. The god chuckled, while his fist raised up to his helmet. Higher and higher, his laughter got, before it suddenly ended. The god was done talking to the Starman.

He formed a blue lightning bolt in his hand. He juked back, and quickly threw it forward, sending it screaming through the air. It struck the Starman square in the chest, sending him into the cliff he leaped from. The cliff broke from the strike, drowning the mysterious new warrior in tons of rocks.

Enerjak shook his head in disappointment, at the Starman, finding his sudden appearance to be little more than an annoyance. With him gone, he could return his attention to killing a certain alien god. Doom was gone now, possibly to heal from his wounds. It made the echidna god growl, for the Starman wasted his time. He slowly started to ascend, in order to find Black Doom, but he didn't get to far. A yellow strike bolted into his backside, sending him crashing into the butte before him. He recovered quickly, by flying straight into the sky.

He growled in rage, as he searched for the person who had the audacity to attack his backside. To his surprise, his eyes met the Starman, yet again.

"I warned you, Enerjak," he stated, "And now, I have to kill you."

"You... kill... me...?" Enerjak responded, not understanding his words.

To that, the Starman nodded. The storm around them began to increase. The rain grew in such strength, it could hurt someone who stood out in it. The wind increased as well, growing to near tornado levels. Lightning started to toil about at a greater frequency than before, constantly peppering the skies with shocks and lights. Some of those lightning bolts danced around Enerjak, as his growls grew great as well. Everything began to shake, as the echidna god's charging increased.

"How _DARE_ you!?" he barked, "Tell me, Enerjak! What to do!"

He suddenly dashed forward. His fist glided through the air flawlessly, cleaving through air, but not hitting skin. The Starman moved to the side, and his arms grabbed a hold of Enerjak's arm. He started spinning with the echidna god at great speeds, and after gaining a good bit of inertia, he threw him to the earth. Enerjak crashed into one of the many roads of Glyphic Canyon, slamming up and against many poles and statues. The god gave a growl, as his red eyes moved back up. He met a heavy rock.

Black Doom, using that great mind of his, slammed the echidna god over and over again with a boulder formed from buttes and cliff sides. He constantly roared through his tactic, before the rock exploded in his hands. Flying up, that same echidna god. Enerjak slammed his fist into Black Doom's chest, drawing out many amounts of blood. Before he could strike the alien in the head, an attack that would obviously kill him, his fist was caught by another.

He turned to see the Starman, who pulled back his own fist, and slammed it against the echidna god's head. The strike sent Enerjak back, where he crashed into the ceiling of a temple.

"I do not need your help!" Black Doom roared.

"The fight proves other wise." the Starman answered.

"You look at me when I speak to you!" Doom ordered.

"Listen. If you want to live, I recommend we work together."

"The last time I worked with one of you mobians, it came back to bite me in the butt! I shall never work with one again!"

"I beg to differ..." the man of Stars answered.

"How dare you!?"

The the mysterious warrior suddenly struck him in the gut, a chuckle accompanying his actions.

The Starman shifted his attention god for a few minutes, awaiting any kind of counterattack. It came suddenly too.

A flurry of arrows made of Chaos Energy, darted through the sky. Some of them hit Black Doom, sending him back, while others flew straight toward the Starman. The enigmatic warrior dodged the many strikes however, while rushing down at equal speeds. One of those arrows was about to hit him square in the face, but the Starman surrounded his body in a red aura. The arrow bounced off harmlessly because of it, as he landed on the ground near the echidna god. Enerjak threw forth a fist, but the Starman swatted the attack out-of-the-way, quickly countering with a knee to the chest. Enerjak recoiled quickly, however, grabbing the Starman's leg, as he pulled it back. With a mighty roar, the echidna god bashed his head against the Starman's. The warrior was sent back, while Enerjak pushed forward. He slammed his fist into the Starman's chest, drawing blood through the air. The sight of it, made Enerjak laugh.

"You are not sent from the heavens," he said, leaping back, "No heavenly body would draw blood like you have."

The Starman covered his wounds with his hand, painting his glove in red blood. He didn't growl in pain, however. He just shifted his gaze back up.

"Is that all?" he asked.

"Is that all?" Enerjak repeated, unsure if he heard those words, "Foolish Starman! I have wounded you! Come, kneel before Enerjak! And I will pass a lighter sentence upon your judgment!"

"I think I'll..." the warrior said, lifting his hand as it surged with power, "Pass... CHAOS SPEAR!"

He suddenly threw forth a yellow blast of pure energy. Enerjak growled at the sight of it, while his hand caught the attack. It was a useless one, and he immediately threw it back. It struck the Starman in his chest, throwing him over the temple ceiling, and into the long dusty roads of the canyon. The echidna god began laughing, though this went on for only a few minutes.

He suddenly felt a meteorite strike him. Over and over again, the flaming rocks fell upon his position, pushing him further and further down. Enerjak growled through it, as his body produced an aura bubble. The force field pushed off the rocks, destroying the rocks that came near him. Enerjak suddenly dashed forward, his fist raised up high. He pull back to kill the alien god, but the deathblow never landed.

The Starman landed on his back, his feet first. He sent Enerjak crashing to the earth, and immediately dashed forth to continue the brawl. The echidna god crashed into the earth, with a painful crackle. As soon as he got to his toes, the Starman landed just a few feet away. The enigmatic warrior raised his arm, and it was engulfed in a burning yellow aura, from his elbow, up to his hand. He dashed forward with this Chaos covered limb, slashing at the echidna god before him. Enerjak dodged each attack accordingly, and with great speed. Suddenly, the Starman's attack dashed past a column, sending dust and rocks everywhere. Enerjak swiped the debris away, only to see his foe was no longer there. Instead, there was lasers, falling from Black Doom's hands.

The energy beams clashed into Enerjak, but he stood tall. He held the forces of energy away, with one hand and one hand only. Then he started pushing it back. The energy beam moved forward with every heave the god gave. The chaotic blasts moved forward, and forward, gaining more and more ground. Suddenly, a red shine came into his sight. He glared away, to see the Starman.

"CHAOS BLAST!" the warrior of the Stars let out.

He fired his own beam of energy then, one that was the color red. Enerjak growled, while he raised his other hand to block that attack as well. Now, he was stuck in between to powerful blasts. And yet, he never showed fear. He started forcing back his own power, in both directions. The Starman, and Black Doom, were caught off guard, as their attacks were sent back toward them so suddenly. There was little they could do, save for endure.

The Starman was sent flying back, crashing into columns, statues, and eventually the ground. Black Doom flew into the wall of one of his many temples, bouncing back from the explosive blow. He fell to the earth a few seconds later, coughing and wheezing with pain. He glared down with his red eyes, seeing his green blood, mix with the rain, and the sands of his own temples. The sight of it made him groan with anger. His eyes moved up a second later, just to meet Enerjak's red, shining, gaze.

"I have finally passed judgment, Black Doom," Enerjak stated, stepping up, "Unless you come and bow before me, I shall impart upon thee the maximum of sentences."

"Black Doom... bows to... no one!" the alien roared through coughs.

"Understandable... and foolish..."

Enerjak gripped him tightly by the neck. Black Doom's coughs grew, as he felt himself being choked. The echidna god lifted him higher then, and aimed him skyward. The alien stared down with his burning snakes, wondering what would happen next. Suddenly Enerjak's free hand started to expel green Chaos Energy. He aimed it toward the alien's body, and the energy started to grow. Bigger and bigger, it got, before it exploded. A fantastic, green beam of pure chaotic power, flowed from Enerjak's palm, and engulfed Black Doom. The beam flew higher into the sky, as Black Doom's monstrous screams filled the airways. The blast separated the clouds of high, imparting the storms for just a few seconds.

And then, as fast as it happened, it was over.

There was no more Black Doom, just Enerjak. The god stared away, as a thunderbolt struck behind him. He raised his hands, causing the storm to grow even more violent.

"Judgement. Passed..."

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Oh boy, did I have a blast writing this. I don't know about you, but I just so easily imagined the fights in my head, and it was awesome! But now, I must talk, so everyone can calm down from the awesomeness. Yeah, I know it was awesome._

_Anywho, Enerjak. Now, translating Enerjak from the comics to here was a bit hard. Surprising, I know. For some reason, I found it so hard to catch that essence of godliness, that he is. In both battle, and not when in battle. He's a god, for Pete's sake, a freaking god! And you know what? I think I caught that. From everything he's done, to when he was just walking around, I think I made it known that, yes, he is a god. A freaking god._

_And that brings me to my next point. Enerjak himself. Get ready, you guys, I'm about to explain comics and stuff. The Enerjak in this story, is obviously Dimitri. In the comics, Dimitri is the third echidna to become Enerjak, with Knuckles being the fourth. Who the hell are the first two? Screw them, they aren't important here. In the last chapter, I explained what costume Enerjak is wearing. Yes, there are different ones between them, but anywho, this Enerjak, is wearing Dark Enerjak's costume, from Dark Mobius. You see where all that crazy comic continuity comes to play, right? I would explain more, like what the hell Dark Mobius is, but I'm not, because its unnecessary here. Dark Enerjak is actually Knuckles, however. I used the Dark Enerjak costume because it kicks ass! Its like gold and black and stuff, its freaking epic!_

_By the by, good job GunmetalTheHedgehog__ and Ultra Chaos for pointing out which Enerjak I used and the costume. I was sure no one was going to notice or care. Makes me smile knowing that my attention to detail didn't go unnoticed._

_Also, Enerjak's personallity. Depending on who becomes Enerjak, his personality may change. Dimitri Enerjak was kind of a great big dick, just going around with his godly power. Knuckles Enerjak was still a dick, but not as much as one. He went around passing judgments on people, which almost always ended in 'You die!'. In this story, I fused the two together. I didn't want the Enerjak in my story to just be a colossal dick (although he obviously is) because that's so cliche in Sonic. I'm evil and have all the power! Granted, he isn't that much of a change, but at least he has some kind of depth. Besides, I just like the idea of this godly powerful being, who judges people by this warp sensed of what he believes to be right and wrong. It kind of reminds me of Robot Santa from Futurama._

_Okay, enough talking. I'm loving this, me personally, and I hope you are too. Let's just wait and see what the story shall give us next, okay?_

_Princess Daisy, plus Mach Bike. The only way I can play Mario Kart Wii. Here's to Mario Kart 8 keeping my star combination, though I doubt it._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	26. When Gods Meet

When Gods Meet

The hedgehog gripped onto his own chest. Powerful growls escaped his maw, as this pain coursed through his body, centering on his chest. The punch he suffered from that god was enough to crush a mountain, so it was only the grace by some kind of angel, that he was able to survive this.

His hands constantly danced along his wounds, trying their best to plug the holes that leaked out blood. It wasn't working of course, much to his furious ire. This was the most one-sided fight he had ever been in, bar none. And it was only continuing.

He leaned up against the column he fell near, while gasps for breath constantly escaped his maw. Gazing down to his open hand, he saw it painted in his own life substance. The mere sight of it, made him growl even more, as his eyes gazed skyward. He latched his hand on the edge of his helmet, and pried it away, feeling the rush of wind and rain sprinkle him. The feeling made him smile, as his face cooled down.

He needed to stand up, and keep fighting, though the thought of doing such a thing, was a painful one indeed. He had to face the god once more, an act his mind deemed to be suicidal. How could he keep fighting like this, if he was already so weak? It was nigh impossible.

There was a shock wave. A powerful shock wave, one that sent rumbles through the floors. The hedgehog growled, as he got to his feet. Peering down, he saw blood soaked sand, all thanks to him. Once more, he rubbed his wounds, only to shroud his body in the purple cloak. Then, he returned that helmet to his head, becoming the Starman once more.

The constant shock waves continued, as the hedgehog ran from the column he stood behind. Now in the middle of this dusty temple field, he stared forth to see the causer of all these problems. Enerjak walked forward, each footstep of his triggering a miniature earthquake. All around that god, he watched sand fly up, and rain fail to touch his body. His godly essence was impressive, but not much of a deterrent. If it were, the hedgehog would be turning tail to run, but he didn't.

"Starman," Enerjak called, "I thought you had finally fallen."

"Impossible," the warrior of the stars responded, "I can't die."

"Pride is a deadly sin, Starman. Do you really think you can keep these actions up?"

"I don't have to work so hard," he responded, "When fighting a man like you..."

The godly echidna started chuckling.

"A man... you call me..." he said, his voice suddenly becoming forceful, "You fool! You think you can face me? Enerjak!? You're more mindless than I originally thought, Starman! I have already dealt with your demon friend, you won't be much now."

"Demon friend? You mean Doom?" he started to fret, "What did you do to Doom!?"

"I imparted my judgment upon him. His sentence? Death."

"You killed Doom?"

"Indeed, Starman, indeed."

The cloaked warrior grew silent briefly, while his hands poked through his purple shroud. He peered down to the blood soaked hands he owned, while his breathing started to increase. Then it faded away, as his gaze turned back up.

"You're wrong..." he stated.

"I'm what!?"

"Wrong," the Starman repeated, "You're wrong, Enerjak! Black Doom isn't dead."

"And how do you know, Starman? Do you have a level of omnipotence that is greater than mine? Or is this some foolish assumption? Tell me, Starman."

Honestly, the enigmatic warrior wasn't really sure. There was no doubt Doom could be dead. Enerjak had the power to kill him, the means as well, if he said he's dead, then he'd have reason enough to believe him. There was just one problem with this. If Black Doom were dead, then he would not be standing here, right now. To be truthful, he hadn't the slightest clue why he wasn't torn from time and space. Granted, he didn't know what would happen if a time paradox occurred or not, so maybe he just screwed the future up in a way he'd never really know. Maybe he created another time-line, in which he was never created, thanks to Doom's death.

Or maybe none of this mattered. Whether Doom was dead or not, it held no basis on the battle at hand. He was still here, and so was Enerjak. And unless Enerjak was defeated, then everyone dies. Past, present, and future.

"Kneel before me, Starman," the god commanded, "And allow me to pass upon thee a judgment."

Maybe he should. Maybe he should just kneel before Enerjak, and face his fate. It seemed like an easy way out. Just die, let all this end. His feet started bringing him forward, where Enerjak started chuckling. He fell to his knees, the rain seemingly stopped to fall then. He could feel Enerjak's hand lower, to touch him on the head.

The Starman struck forward.

His fist was surrounded by an explosive red aura, as he punched the god square in the chin. Enerjak was tossed away by the sudden strike, slamming into a column as he did so. The warrior of the Stars leaped to his feet then, as he started charging great amounts of Chaos Energy, as he glared down his foe before him. The ground started shaking again, and lightning started to strike all around Enerjak's body. He watched the god rise, as his red eyes shone brighter than any light. Enerjak was angry, to say the least. With a wave of his hand, the column he crashed in was decimated, being reduced to nothing but mere rubble. He stepped down from the battered structure a second later, his feet bringing him closer to his attacker.

"I gave you a chance, Starman!" he roared, "And yet you decided to strike me!? So be it! Enough of this, leveling with you, I have passed my judgment upon thee. The verdict!?" he suddenly dashed forward, at speeds no one could see, "DEATH!"

His open hands grasped onto the Starman's shoulders, lifting him up as he did so. The two crashed into a statue of Black Doom, making it fall all around them. Through the chaos, Enerjak pulled his fist back, and thrusted it forward. Just barely, the warrior of the Stars dodged the attack, only for his chest to meet Enerjak's knee. As the hedgehog before him recoiled, the god pulled a rock from the ground, bashing it along his foe's head as he did so. The Starman was sent crashing into the earth, as Enerjak leaped down to his toes. Not finished with the battle quite yet, he grabbed a hold of his foes neck, and snapped his eyesight skyward. Then he was up, rushing through the skies at incredible speeds, the Starman in tow.

The Starman gazed forward. He and his foe, were within the clouds themselves. Wind and rain poured every which way, striking him up, down, left and right. To add to that, lightning echoed not only far away, but so close instead, being blinding, loud, and dangerous. Despite all of this, the Starman could still hear the god's uproarious laughter.

Enerjak pulled back his fist, driving it forward through the windy rain air. The Starman stopped the attack, grabbing it in his open hand. But the Starman could feel it. If Enerjak's helmet didn't cover his face, the hedgehog was sure he was smiling. Enerjak's other hand struck forward, but the hedgehog blocked, just ever so barely. He felt the golden claws of the echidna dig into his shoulder, however.

The hedgehog started shining red. Thrusting his arms out, he caused a red sphere to appear over his body, and blow back his godly foe. But Enerjak was not deterred. The echidna flew back just a few yards, before dashing forward immediately. The Starman dashed to the right, just barely dodging his foes attack. Enerjak kept going, however, only turning around with lightning struck. The Starman glared at him too, watching the god's every move. Enerjak raised his fists, and a lightning bolt struck them. The god lowered his fists, showing that they were now coursing with electrical powers. With his face covered, Enerjak was unsure what face the Starman was making. He was sure it was fear, however. At any moment, he was waiting for his star bound foe to turn around, and run in fear. But he didn't. Instead, the Starman pulled his own hands from the cloak covering his body, and caused an explosive green aura to take them.

"Still you challenge me..." Enerjak whispered, "So be it!"

He dashed forth, that electrical charged fist gliding through the wind. The Starman dashed forth to meet him, his Chaos Infused hand gliding to meet him. Roars were given out by both opponents as they got closer.

Their fists clashed.

This great explosion of sound, wind, rain, and force echoed out, blowing the opponents back. Enerjak decided to follow-up on his attack, by charging up his powers. His hands continued to surge with electricity, and upon finding his opponent, who was currently darted away in preparation, the god fired out. Multiple arrows made purely out of Chaos, flew through the sky. There was no way the Starman would be able to dodge all of these, meaning the fight was over. But yet again, his mysterious foe surprised him. The Starman fired out a flurry of spears made of light, all of which collided with Enerjak's arrows of light.

Explosions riddled the sky, parting the clouds up high. Light was thrown this way, and that way, forcing the Starman to cover his eyes. That brief second proved to be detrimental, as when he glared forth again, Enerjak was before him. The god dashed forth, fist first, dragging the golden claw into the hedgehog's chest. More blood flew through the air, making the hedgehog growl in pain. Enerjak's blood lust only grew, however, as he constantly dragged his claws in and out of his foe's body. He could hear his foe growl with each individual strike, pushing him forward more and more. With one more strike, he was ready to end it, but the Starman was crafty. He felt a blast surge into his face, pushing him away.

The Starman slumped back, his hand on his chest, as the blood continued to drip. It was getting hard to see, thanks to all these strikes. And the rain sure as hell wasn't making it any better. Over and over again, his vision blurred, making it impossible to notice what was going on. He could see Enerjak, like a gold and black blur, coming closer and closer. The god raised his fist, and brought it down, with enough force to kill. In retaliation, the Starman blocked with a mighty roar. Enerjak's hand slammed upon his shoulder. And something snapped. Something, very, very important.

The Starman gazed down. His arm wasn't right. He could barely move it, and this extreme surge of pain coursed through him, whenever he tried. He grabbed the pained limb, gripped it tightly, then screamed. He screamed louder and louder, for he felt this was the only way he could deal with the pain currently rushing through him. His yells were suddenly ended, however, by Enerjak's hand. He grabbed the Starman tightly by the neck, and increased the pressure he had on it. The hedgehog didn't even attempt to fight back, as the pain he was feeling in his arm made it virtual impossible to form any kind of resistance. Maybe it was to break his foe, or maybe it was just pure douchebagery, but Enerjak pulled back his fist, and slammed it right on the Starman's broken arm. The warrior of the Stars screamed even louder, as even more pain went through him.

"I must say, Starman," Enerjak whispered, once the hedgehog's screams became pained whimpers, "You have fought valiantly against me. Your efforts were admirable. Pointless, but admirable. But I guess its over, time to end all of this," the hedgehog growled, as he peered through the god through his helm, "Starman, you stand here, before me today, to stand trail for your sins. Your crimes? Having the audacity to face Enerjak, to strike Enerjak, to stave off Enerjak's judgment, and, possibly the worst offense of all, to call Enerjak a liar. The verdict of this trail?"

"Let me guess..." the hedgehog croaked, "Death?"

"Indeed, Starman. Indeed..."

He pulled the hedgehog up, and peered down to the ground. It was such a long drop, able to kill any mere mortal. But the Starman was no mere mortal. He would need extra punishment for his crimes. The echidna peered skyward, seeing that violent storm wail and crash. The god raised one of his hands, while his red glare peered to the hedgehog before him.

"Goodbye, Starman."

…

She shouldn't have been standing here. He had made it perfectly clear what he wanted to happen. Run, such a simple command, and yet it was one she neglected to heed. The green Emerald in her hand was her only solace, her only warmth, against the wind, the sound, and the rain.

"NO!" she cried out, "STOP IT!"

She glared up to the heavens, peered into the storming skies, watched the fight. And it was clear from the beginning that he didn't have what it took to take him down. Enerjak is a god, after all. While the Starman, was just the Starman. She had been loosing hope ever since he ran off, and it was eating at her.

There he went again, Shadow the hedgehog, sacrificing himself for not only her this time, but the entire planet. And she disobeyed his order of running. Just because she couldn't stand the thought of being alone again. Why didn't he listen to her? Why didn't he just take her words, and run away, far from all of this. Why did he have to go and be such a big damn hero?

What is it that he said? In the cove, so long ago? When they were fighting the Gizoid, and he was loosing terribly?

"He'll kill you..." she whispered into the air.

_Better one of us... than both of us..._

His voice answered over the wind.

She peered back up again. The god had the neck of her lover in his hands. And this lightning bolt. This big, great, lightning bolt, fell upon the two.

It was like an explosion, what happened next. Light flashed in every which way, blinding her briefly, while the clap of thunder echoed so loud, it became near deafening. She kept her eyes closed, and ear shut to it all, until it ended. Her blue orbs opened back up, ever so slowly. There was another clap of thunder, as she gazed back up to the beings. And she saw the Starman.

He was falling.

Farther, and farther, down and down, until his body was swallowed up hole by the canyon.

That was it. Game over. Enerjak had won. The Starman had fallen. The world was lost.

"No..." the nubile princess whispered, so low only she could hear it.

She dropped to her knees next, feeling the cold touch of the rain drenched sand, brush up against her legs. She didn't care though. She clenched tightly onto that dirt, pulling bits and pieces of it up, while her salty tears mixed with the rain. She started to sob then, drool hung from her lips, as she found it so hard to control this emotion running through her. She wanted to stop crying. She had done it so much since the beginning. Since that hedgehog fell from the stars itself. She wanted to end it all. She wanted to stop feeling sad, stop feeling lonely, stop feeling weak.

Footsteps. She choked on her next breath. Her blue eyes looked up. Those shining red eyes peered back.

There was only one way to end this. The only way to end it now. The one way to make it all come crashing down. This situation was hopeless, and he was here to make it end.

"Pray to your gods, Tikal..." he commanded, over the rain.

She looked up to him, before crawling to his feet. This was the only way to make all the pain end. She wouldn't be alone anymore. She would be with her mother, her grandmother, and her hero, in the next life. She just had to face her judgment, just like everyone else. She raised her hands over the green Emerald in hand, and closed her eyes shut.

"Tikal the echidna..." he began, his voice so strong, it sent ripples through her spine, "Protector of the Master Emerald, defender of the Chaos Emeralds, an angel," she closed her eyes tighter, "Also a liar. You've been defiled, Tikal. Dirtied in the purest way possible. Your people herald you as a symbol of holiness, when you are just as wrong as everyone else. How do you feel, knowing this? Do you feel hurt, remorseful? Or are you like the other fools I have faced this evening? Ignorant of your actions, and willing to ride them down to eternal damnation. Is that what you are? Do you regret your choices? Answer me, Tikal."

Her eyes opened. She wanted so easily to say yes. Maybe her sentence would be lightened because of it. But that's what _weak_ people do. People who fear that on the other end. And she didn't. Despite everything, despite all the pain, the sadness, the turmoil, she would do it again. Because of one, black and red, demon, Starman.

Boy, did she hate Shadow the hedgehog.

"No..." she answered.

"You don't feel sorry?"

"No..." she repeated, making him sigh.

"And I thought you'd be different, Tikal. But, I suppose, I should have known better. There is no difference among you mortals, you are all stubborn, foolish creatures. It doesn't matter thought. I have a job to do. Tikal, you must pay for your sins. The verdict for them? Death."

He raised his hand.

"Now pray..."

She gazed into the green Emerald in hand. So strong, so filled with life and hope it was. Hope that would be gone if Enerjak won. She may not have been strong enough to deal with him, but she knew one person who was. And he needed her help. He was wrong before. Trying to fight this god on his own. It may have brave, but it was foolish. Now, she had to rectify that.

"The servers are the seven Chaos," she stated, and loudly as well, "Chaos is power, power enriched by the heart!" she could practically feel Enerjak's eyes burning into her, but she didn't care, "The heart is the controller! The controller serves to unify Chaos!" she pulled back. Her blue eyes were now shining violently, while the Emerald in hand started to shine at equal intensity, "CHAOS CONTROL!"

Enerjak struck her down.

…

Ruby eyes opened. Looking up, he saw a Black Hawk, nibbling at the ground. The creatures white eyes peered at him, noticing he was now alive. It screamed out to the air, as its wings started to fly. A crack of thunder sent it on its way.

The hedgehog's crimson orbs glared elsewhere. At the bottom of the canyon, he was, with this pain throbbing through him. It took him a few minutes to remember what was happening. Enerjak, he needed to stop Enerjak.

He slowly, and by that I mean _extremely slowly_, got to his bottom. Sitting there, his chest heaved up and down, rapidly, as he tried his hardest to keep things under control. How had he survived? He was wondering the same thing. After a strike like that, he should have been dead. But he wasn't, for some reason. His arm was still broken, which was bad for him. He had the need to cradle himself, for cold shivers constantly jolted through his body. Shaking his head, he sent away those feelings, pushing them to the back of his mind. Then he stood.

Almost immediately, he lost his footing, crashing into the side of a great rock formation. Glaring down, he spat out a few pieces of wet sand, that must have gotten into him due to his unconsciousness. To his surprise, that purple cloak he used to cover his body, was still there. The edges were singed, as the rest of the cape was torn and shattered in different places. Then the hedgehog realized that he was gazing at the cloak with his natural eyes. The helmet he had on his head was cracked in different places, with one being so big, the upper left side of his head was exposed, showing quills and his ear. He dragged his blood soaked hand along his quills, the touch of it making him remember his mission.

"Gotta... stop... Enerjak..." he murmured, over and over again, his weak feet bringing him forward, as his hands removed the helmet and cape.

He just needed to keep forward. Enerjak may have been strong, but he was no god. He could be hurt, and if he could be hurt, then he could be defeated.

He closed his eyes. He could see the green Chaos Emerald, sitting there. Not being carried. _Not _being _carried!_

"Tikal!" he roared, before doubling over in pain.

He should have been able to see her, but her image didn't come into view. Maybe she dropped the Emerald. Though that was a stupid thought, he knew he was just trying to calm his mind of the inevitable. Something happened to her.

His air shoes erupted into flames, propelling him forward. He darted about in the sky, finding it hard to aim when his body was going through so much pain. Eventually, he found one of the dusty roads, and upon doing so, he landing with a powerful crack.

"TIKAL!" he yelled, feeling his body get close to the Emerald, "TIKAL!"

"Shadow..." he heard a weak voice answer, "Shadow..."

The hedgehog's ears twitched, bringing his eyes forward. At first, all he saw on the sands, was blood. It was so violently painted, as if someone had been slashed into. The hedgehog's heart increased, but not from pain, but from adrenaline.

"I was wrong..." he heard her whisper, "I was wrong..."

"TIKAL!"

His feet brought him through the blood soaked sands, and to the girl unfortunate enough to hold them. Her blue eyes were open, but she was not seeing. They were peering over the edge of the canyon, moving off forever, yet staring at nothing. She just stared, and that was all. Her hand was open over this mark on her body, this long, deep mark. She was bleeding profusely, and there was no stopping it.

"Tikal..." he whispered, crouching to her side.

"I was wrong, Shadow..." she whispered, fingers darting inward as she clenched her wound.

"Shut up!" he growled, "You're pushing yourself to hard."

"No, Shadow, I was wrong..." she repeated, as he wrapped his arms around her shoulder, "I tried... I tried... I tried... I tried to help..."

"I said shut up!" he ordered.

"All my life, I thought I was right, but I was wrong this time. I thought fighting was evil, terrible thing. But I was wrong."

"Tikal..." he whispered.

"I'm so, so, sorry..."

"No..." he stated, bringing his hand to her dreads, "You... _were_ right, Tikal... You always said, fighting was evil and... look at what it did to you... I don't want you to suffer any more, I brought this upon you!"

"Shut up..." she whispered, "And _fight_, Shadow... I didn't give you this chance, so you could blow it up in my face..."

He looked down to her. Those blue orbs of her's were closed shut. Her heart rate had slowed. The hand she held clenched over her fatal wound was closing.

Tikal gasped her final breath. She inhaled slowly, and exhaled slowly.

"Tikal...?" he called, bringing his head close, "Tikal...?"

She wasn't answering him, of course.

"Tikal!" he said, louder this time, "Tikal!"

Nothing, the only sound came from the storms above.

"TIIIIIKAAAAAAL!"

His roar did not fall upon deaf ears.

Enerjak snapped back. He was already at the edge of the canyon, when the roar came over head. He used his godly eyesight, to gaze through the many folds of temples and rock formations, eventually settling his sunset gaze upon the Starman.

"No... Impossible..." he stated, before he took off for him.

Shadow's body began to shake. Grief, rage, and hate, was taking over, as his eyes closed shut. His body exploded into an aura, as it waved each and every way. Then the green Chaos Emerald in his midst started to fly. It got up to head level with the hedgehog, and began spinning around. Far away, he heard another object scream through the air. It rocked through temples and rocks alike, before settling itself near the green Chaos Emerald. It was the red one, but that's not all. Suddenly, the yellow Chaos Emerald appeared, and then the blue Emerald. One by one, the seven Chaos Emeralds appeared, all of which surrounded him. But they were joined by an _eighth_ Emerald, one that was green. These eight Chaos Emeralds spun around the hedgehog's body, moving faster and faster, with each passing second.

And hope, was once again placed into the world.

The hedgehog's roars were over. All that was black on his body, was covered, in a glorious yellow light. His fur flowed skyward, as this burning aura surrounded him. His face, melted into that stoic and indifferent visage of usual, while his fist tightened. His ruby gaze fell upon the girl at his toes. He got down to his knees, and scooped her up into his arms. She was dead, but he wouldn't allow it.

The aura on his body flowed from him, and over the girl in his hands. His grip constantly increased on her, as he held her bridal style. And something miraculous happened. There was an injury that lied on her muzzle, one that was caused by Lien-Da's torture. It faded away, leaving the peachy muzzle to be as it was once more. There were other injuries on her body as well, sustained from the dominatrix as well. Just like air, they faded away, as if never being there in the first place. And the mightiest one of all, the injury that killed her, faded away as well.

Her eyes opened up wide. Her mouth, constantly inhaled air, sounding as if she had run a mile. But the sight of his ruby eyes, gazing into her blue ones, the image of his fur, a golden-yellow, and the lips that curled up into a smile, on his muzzle, it calmed her.

"I have to go now..." he whispered, in the softest voice he could muster.

"Shadow..." she whispered.

Her fingers dragged across the side of his head, touching his quills and smoothing them back. And she felt strong because of it. She kissed him suddenly, sliding her tongue into his mouth as she did so. He didn't try to fight off her advancements, as he actually welcomed them. When she pulled away, her blue eyes once again opened, allowing her to gaze upon his splendor. He lied her on the ground gently, while his feet brought him skyward.

"Be careful!" she cried out, hand reaching forward.

He constantly flowed up into the air, eventually becoming a yellow dot against the sky. And if Tikal could say it, he appeared to be a star, against the storming skies. A star filled with hope.

"ENERJAK!" he roared against the heavens.

The clouds before him exploded, releasing a gold and black warrior. He flew down through the skies, stopping just a few yards before the hedgehog.

"I see..." the god stated, "So there is some truth in your words, Starman."

The gold and red hedgehog crossed his arms, while his face grew hard.

"Yes..." the god continued, "This is a true Starman. A warrior, brimming with the brightness of the heavens. It seems you have even discarded your cloak and helm, a purely esthetic one, but one nonetheless. Tell me, Starman, do you intend on continuing this fight, despite knowing defeat is only a few moments away?"

"Defeat indeed..." the hedgehog answered, with a cocky smile, "Defeat for you, that is."

"Still holding to that bravado, it seems..." Enerjak stated, seething with rage.

"You can parade around as a god, all you want, Enerjak," Shadow stated, his aura growing, to show his power, "But after this battle, all will know the day, when the echidna god, Enerjak, fell to the Starman!"

"Strong words, from a delusional mortal! Fine! So be it! If it is a battle amongst gods you wish for, Starman, then it is one you shall gain! Enough of these children's gloves!" the god's cape fell from his back and into the large, expansive canyons, "Let us begin, Starman!"

The storms grew stronger, greater. A great tornado swallowed the two warriors, as light darted left and right.

Gone was the time for words, all that was now needed, was action. Enerjak dashed forward, his fists raised high. To meet his action, the Starman dashed forth too, his fists raised high. They met each other in an instant, and upon doing so, they struck forward in unison. Their fists collided into one another.

And the earth shook.

* * *

_Maverick Talks! Again! Cause I talk a lot! A whole lot!_

_Any way, what can I say about this chapter? It's pretty straight forward, is it not? A battle between good and evil! Shadow and Enerjak! Who will win? Who will lose?_

_I suppose you'll have to wait and see the next chapter, huh?_

_That being said, I'm enjoying these fight chapters. And from my reviews, I assume you all are too. Whenever I write them, I play them out in my head, like an animation. Wait... I think I said that already... Oh well..._

_I wish I could say more about this chapter, and the intricacies that went into it, but this is pretty straight forward. There's not really a whole lot I could say, despite the fact that I want too. I guess, you'll just have to wait until the next one, huh?_

_Can you feel it? The wind? It's blowing a bit differently, ain't it? It sends shivers down your spine, can't ya tell? You know why? Do you know what that is? It's the end, my friend. And it's coming._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	27. The Starman of the Ultimate Lifeform

The Starman of the Ultimate Lifeform

"Ticab! Over here!" the chief called.

He had just scaled this side of the canyon, only for his dark blue eyes to gaze upon _this_. How does one describe the aftermath of a battle? Hell made real? Nightmares turned into life? The diseases that is death and destruction, given human form? Then how does one describe battles like this? Where the dead of once living men and women, lay next to the dead of monsters and demons.

That's what Chief Pachacamac was gazing at. And he couldn't believe it. He held it well, however, for his stoic demeanor didn't shift in the least bit. What could have caused this, and to the Nocturnus Tribe no less? Their great machines were in pieces, bodies were scattered all about, fingers still on the triggers of their guns. Some of their armor had been removed, revealing flesh underneath, flesh that was no longer living. Flesh that was as silent as the cold air.

"What is all of this?" Ticab asked of his chief, lifting high the spear in his hand.

"Whatever it is," Pachacamac answered, "It proved to be fatal for the Nocturnus Tribe."

The younger echidna heard his senior chuckle dementedly to himself, while his feet started moving forward. Seeing that as an order, the younger male signaled to the other men in their group, to move forward. They trekked past the many folds of dead Nocturnus Soldiers and demons, their eyes scanning all they saw. What were these monsters that littered the side of the canyon? Demons? Satan's own creations? And why did they remind them, of a certain black and red hedgehog?

Whatever the case may be, they sure as hell didn't speak up. The sight of these black monsters answered all the questions they ever could have asked.

"Quite the storm..." Pachacamac suddenly commented, as if the monsters on the ground were nothing.

"You're telling me..." Ticab answered, his eyes peering over into the canyon.

He sure was happy he wasn't in any of that. This massive series of tornadoes, ripped through these temples that lay at the canyon grounds. Rain that felt like rocks, pelted the earth while being thrown in random ways thanks to the wind. Cackles of thunder echoed every second or two, while lightning was lobbed across the skies. Thankfully, the storm was settled deep inside the massive canyon, and didn't affect the canyon walls. To be honest, Ticab was pleased by that.

"Look..." Pachacamac said, tapping his spear on a patch of dirt, "It seems the only living members of the Nocturnus Tribe has already made their retreat."

"If you don't mind my asking, Chief," Pachacamac commented as he stepped forward, "How can you tell?"

"It's just the way these lines drag out of here," the chieftain answered, tapping the ground once more, "They lead up out of here, instead of inwardly. They were surely placed here by one of Nocturnus' many vehicles. If you pay attention, some of them lie at the bottom of this canyon here..."

"Well, Chief, can you answer this too," Ticab pressed, "Just what are these black creatures?"

There was a crack of thunder, and a flash of light, as the chief's eyes gazed over to his younger ally. He had only one answer for all of this.

"Demons, it seems..."

"Demons?" Ticab repeated, not believing the words.

"Yes, Demons. It seems the Nocturnus Tribe has bitten off more than they could chew in one of their experiments. Or maybe the gods finally decided to pay them a visit for their disrespect. Whatever the case may be, we have a job to do," his eyesight strengthened, "We are to find Tikal, and regain the Chaos Emeralds! And I have the feeling they lie directly in there."

His finger pointed into the storm, and immediately, Ticab's face grew disdainful. Of course they'd have to go through the rain, and the wind, and the lightning, of course!

Wait. What was that?

There was a burning yellow light in the sky. It appeared out of no where, in a mere instant. It looked to be a flame, one that surged with power. All around this being, lightning struck, missing ever so briefly. Ticab witnessed the golden flame dart left and right, dodging lightning strikes, with precise movements. Then, that flame was joined by something else. A being, with green flames charging through its frame, it seemed. To be honest, the son of the metal worker had to rub his eyes in order to make sure he wasn't losing it. He needed to be reassured, that this wasn't his mind playing a very wild, very vivid, prank on him.

"Chief..." he called, hand pointing forward.

"Yes, Ticab?" the echidna leader questioned.

"What's that?" he said, answering his question, with a question.

Pachacamac's dark blue eyes peered hard through the raging storm. Upon seeing what Ticab was drawing attention to, his head cocked to the side. The gold flame dashed back. The green flame dashed to meet it. They collided.

And an explosion occurred.

…

Wind, sound, and rain, were thrown in all directions. When their fists collided, the force of the godly blows created a backlash of power. The two traded hits made the rain around them expand, and form an orb of water, before said orb succumbed to gravity, and fell to the earth in one unified splash. A golden flame was expelled from said orb as well.

Shadow the hedgehog, Ultimate life form, super being, Starman, fell onto a rock formation. He had to catch his breath quickly, for his foe was upon him. He leaped back a moment later, just as a godly echidna fell upon his position.

Enerjak the echidna. What is he? A mortal given power, or a god give human form? With the ability to level mountains, and the means to do so, should such a being exist? Are his intentions noble, despite the pain and turmoil it would create? Or are these plans of his just the ideas of a sick minded immortal? Whatever the case may be, one thing remains the same. If he stands, we all fall.

His strike leveled the entire butte he landed on. The rocks and sediment of the formation fell into the deep canyon, while the echidna stayed afloat.

"What's wrong, Starman!" he yelled, his voice so boastful, "Do you run from Enerjak!?"

"Not exactly..." the golden hedgehog's voice replied.

Enerjak glared forward. The hedgehog's retreating frame was suddenly getting closer, appearing as nothing but a bright golden flame. His eyes scanned the sight, just as this super powered hedgehog reached him. Shadow's knee bashed into the god's gut, causing him to growl in pain. _Enerjak_ growled in _pain_!

To the revelation, all the hedgehog had in response, was a grunt. He followed up his first strike, with a kick to the face, lifting the echidna just a few feet skyward. But the hedgehog wasn't finished. He latched his hand on the echidna god's ankle, then aimed his way down. With a quick, and sudden burst, of speed, he dashed all the way down to the canyon's floor. The canyon drop that was made up of miles, flashed by in mere seconds, as the hedgehog raised his foe above his head. Upon reaching the sandy earth bottom, he slammed Enerjak down on the earth, triggering a massive earthquake. All around them, sand and rain was tossed up, garnering more growls from the god. But Shadow wasn't finished. When Enerjak lurched up, he dashed back in a sudden flash. He landed a full mile away, while his hand reached behind him. He suddenly charged up a great yellow orb of power. Said orb was growing so strong, it became near impossible for him to contain it all. He didn't have too for a few more moments, however. He watched Enerjak stagger to his feet, and once the good stood tall, he launched forth what he held inside. A yellow beam of pure power screamed through the valley walls, coming straight for the god.

Enerjak was so caught off by the strike, he did nothing about it. The yellow beam struck him square in the chest. Being the god he was, Enerjak was able to stave off the full brunt of the force, but just so barely. He tried pushing the beam of energy back, but his foe was pushing forth strength he wasn't expecting, making it harder than he originally thought. It seemed that, whenever he pushed forth strength, more strength was pushed against him. This deadly tug of war went on for minutes, before the echidna realized it was going nowhere. Ultimately, he shifted the blast skywards, allowing it to roar against the air, and fly into the clouds.

Enerjak watched the yellow beam fly and fly and fly, before disappearing into the storming air. His shining red eyes aimed back down moments later, aiming at the gold and red hedgehog who stood so far away from him.

"HOW DARE YOU!?" he yelled.

"What's wrong, Enerjak," the hedgehog answered, a certain cockiness in his voice, "Is that fear I hear in your voice?"

"FEAR!?" the echidna roared, "I'LL SHOW YOU THE MEANING OF FEAR!"

The ground around him exploded, as he dashed forth. In preparation for the coming attack, the hedgehog merely lifted his right hand. Enerjak was suddenly upon him, and he pulled back his golden spiked hand. It dove forward an instant later, where Shadow blocked the strike. The god gasped in surprise, right when Shadow's fist met his face. The attack sent him crashing into the canyon walls, where his godly essence destroyed the area around him.

He didn't stay stuck there very long. As soon as his eyesight returned, he was up and atom, like a golden streak. He jerked through the air, giving out wild rampant barks, before stopping dead center of the turbulent storm. Gazing up, he watched as the clouds swirled around him in such a malicious way. Lighting constantly streaked through the vortex of clouds, causing thunder to drown out his rage. For only a little bit, it seemed.

"STAAAAAAARRRRMAAAAAAAAAAN!" he roared out, letting his rage be known by all.

He shifted his red glare to the earth, just in time to notice a golden beam streak through the sky to meet him.

The golden warrior of the stars appeared from virtually nowhere, as he moved so fast it was hard to see him. It didn't matter, however, for he now hovered before the god, arms crossed, with that indifferent visage of his always present.

"I thought you were a god, Enerjak..." he commented, making the god scoff.

"I am a god!" he yelled, "You dare question me on my authority!?"

"I'm just saying," the hedgehog said, with a smug shrug, "I believe it was your words first, no heavenly body would draw blood like you have..."

The god grew confused at those words, while the hedgehog gained a cocky smile. Then, the golden warriors red eyes darted down, just so quickly, sending a signal to the god saying 'look down.' Enerjak did so, his eyes moving to his right arm. To his surprise, he found that his right shoulder blade was gone, possibly removed to the fighting. Not only that, but the black clothe that lied underneath had been removed, revealing, of all things, a wound. But this was no ordinary wound. It was a gash, and a pretty deep one, with blood seeping out.

The sight of the red, life-giving substance, shook the god to his core. His hand, briefly danced alongside the wound, making him wince from the sudden jolt of pain. That injury, cemented in his mind, that he was hurt. And that angered him.

He started growling. Louder, and louder, his rage filled, hate filled roars grew, as thunder shocked beside him. He laid his hands to his side, as his head turned skyward, so he could roar even louder. The golden warrior before him grew cautious of this state, taking a battling form as he waited for the god to make his next move. But Enerjak just kept screaming, and louder at that.

And then he dashed forward, in a sudden and explosive burst of speed. The Starman was caught off guard by the sudden movement, giving him little time to counter. Before he knew it, a god had punched him, square across the side of his face. The attack sent him flying back, his mind dazed from the pain. Once he finally peered forward, he found no god, just a foot. Enerjak's boot slammed him across his chest, sending the warrior of the Stars down toward the earth.

He didn't fly far, before his supreme form stopped his free fall. Glaring up, he saw the roaring godly echidna, dashing toward him. The golden warrior's fist lifted, just in time to meet the god's next strike. Their fists slammed into one another, sending a wave of power, to surge through the stormy skies.

Enerjak was tossed out of the fray, but he didn't stay there long. After shaking his head, and regaining his vigor, he dashed back in to continue. The gold and red hedgehog kept his crimson orbs on his foe, right up to the point in time where they met. He struck at the god with a kick, but the echidna ducked it. His spiked hand then struck the hedgehog in the chest, making him growl in rage. The hedgehog wasn't deterred, however. His hand latched onto the god's quills, and he spun into a spin dash. He whirled the god around and around in a circular motion, moving at speeds to fast for the god to escape. He continued to spin, before his hands released the god, sending him crashing into the canyon earth.

Pain roared through the god's body, much to his ire. Never before had he felt such injuries, and it angered him. He was a god, dammit! A god! And he was being matched, by a mere mortal!? Not now, not ever!

There was a flash of light. Enerjak covered his eyes briefly, as to not be blinded by said light. When his hand moved, he saw the Starman, standing above him. The golden hedgehog's hand grabbed the god on his faceplate, and clenched it tightly. He then rose him, only to slam him into the earth, in a brutal strike. The attack caused a crater to appear around the god's head, as well as send surges of pain through the echidna. The hedgehog heard his foe growl in pain, something that made the him scoff.

"I thought you were a god, Enerjak!" he yelled, egging him forward, "What happened to that godly strength of yours?"

"You cannot possibly _hope_, to comprehend the power I have, Starman!" Enerjak roared back, "You may be powerful, but in the end, you are nothing but a mere mortal!"

Enerjak's hand suddenly latched onto the hedgehog's face. The Starman's eyes widened, as this green blinding light suddenly appeared from the god's hand. It grew greater and greater, before this surge of power exploded in the hedgehog's face, sending him crashing into the canyon walls. When he gazed forth, the Enerjak was in his sight again. The god started pummeling him with punch after punch, all the while growling with fervent rage. This went on for quite some time, before the hedgehog's own hands reached forward. He gripped the god tightly by his neck, stopping the assault. He stood up, blood streaming down his face, while his visage twisted into explosive rage.

The hedgehog freed one of his hands, to charge a red energy in his hand. In fact, the hedgehog's entire golden body, was now placed in a yellow and red aura. The hedgehog's eyes started to burn red with power, as the energy in his hand formed a spear. Suddenly, he dashed forward, spear in hand, and drove the red javelin into Enerjak's chest.

The god screamed out loud, as the hedgehog's chaos made attack, impaled his body, and stuck out on the other end. His blood flew out through the air, being washed away almost immediately by the stormy waves. Suddenly, Shadow's other hand reached up, in order to meet the god. The appendage started to roar and quake, with this explosive red energy, and when it slammed forward, it created an explosion, one that sent the echidna god away.

Enerjak's body bounced against the canyon walls, while his red eyes stared forth. His vision was constantly blurring, while he found it hard to stand. His hand was held clamped over the wound, where the Chaos Javelin once stood. The thought of a weapon being inside of him, angered him to no end. Unfortunately, he couldn't do anything about it, seeing as he could barely see. All he could make out, was this being, with a golden aura stepping forward with each movement.

His eyesight finally readjusted itself, just in time to see the hedgehog finish his walk to him. The golden warrior of the stars scanned over his foe, specifically the wound that existed in his chest, and how useless it was to try to plug the whole. Oh, how the tables had turned.

The golden hedgehog pulled back his hand. There was a cackle of thunder. He suddenly forced his fist forward, with a hard straight. Enerjak growled in pain, as blood started to seep from the underside of his face mask. As he toppled over, the hedgehog raised his elbow, and slammed it down on the god's spine. The strike broke the echidna down to his knees, as blood continuously seeped from his open wounds.

The hedgehog's hands then gripped onto the god's chest. He pulled him up to face level, while this mocking scoff exited his lips. That scoff spurned something inside of Enerjak.

"HOW DARE YOU!?" he roared, dashing up, head first, bashing his skull against the hedgehog's, "MOCK ENERJAK!"

The star warrior stepped back a few feet, as his vision blurred. Once he peered forth, Enerjak was there again, fist raised. He cocked it back, and struck forth, his golden spiked fist, stabbing into his foe. He caused blood to gush out, the sight of which made him smirk under that golden mask. The hedgehog coughed in pain, but did not bend back. He instead gripped the echidna by the arm, while his right hand pulled back. He suddenly dashed forward with it, punching the echidna square in the chest, sending him flying back.

The hedgehog gripped the area on his body where he had been punched, only to find something sticking out. His eyes gazed down, seeing Enerjak's spiked golden gauntlet, still inside of him. He pulled it out, growling and coughing in extreme pain. The golden spike still lay in his hand, with the tips of the weapon died a deep crimson. The hedgehog peered back down, seeing his own wound gush with blood. Unlike other wounds, this one wasn't healing as fast. The pain he now felt, was centering on that wound, causing him to pant desperately. Another hit like that, and he was sure he would black out.

"STAAAAAAARRRRMAAAAAAAN!" the echidna roared.

The hedgehog peered forward, seeing the god get back to his feet. His feet brought him forward, each footstep sending sand skyward. Enerjak raised the hand that still held a spiked gauntlet. To match this taunting stance, the hedgehog slipped on the god's other gauntlet, despite the fact that it was still painted in his own blood.

"You... are... a very interesting foe, Starman," Enerjak stated, head bending down, showing rage, "I never thought, in a hundred million years, I would face something, or someone, like you."

"And that just irks you, doesn't it?" the hedgehog retorted.

"You have no idea..." Enerjak responded, before signing off with a roar.

He dashed forth, hand raised high. Shadow growled to match his roar, before rushing off to meet him. The echidna swiped at the air before the Starman's head, making the hedgehog juke back to dodge the attacks. He countered with a swipe of his own gauntlet covered hand, making the attack fly harmlessly through the air, thanks to Enerjak's deceptive movements.

They just kept punching, and missing, with the occasional failed kicks thrown in for good measure. All the power they obtained, meant little now, as they just entered this tussle of blows. No Chaos Energy, no godly essence, no nothing, just the will to win, the strive for victory.

Victory, that's all that mattered.

…

"He can't win this..." she whispered, not believing the words that echoed form her own mouth.

The eight Chaos Emeralds danced around her, shining brightly as they lent their strength to the hedgehog fighting for not only his life, but everyone's lives. Yeah, he's fighting for everyone. That simple statement sent rumbles through her spine. As she gazed down in the canyon, watching the golden warriors trade hits, with rage and vigor, she couldn't help but to think about the talk she and Shadow held, in that field, that night.

_I'm sure you've made a lot of people happy though_, her voice from the past, echoed over the air ways, _Yeah. You're probably some kind of hero in the future. Swooping in, and saving everyone without a thought. You don't want recognition, or money, or fame, or respect, you just want the world to keep turning. You want people to be happy, right?_

Yeah, that's why he was fighting. That's why he was sacrificing himself. That's why he was doing all of this. He just wanted people to be happy. He wasn't doing it because it would make people love him, or like him more, or they would respect him or anything, he was just giving the world a chance. Even if it killed him.

And what was she doing? Absolutely freaking nothing. He was down there, risking his life and soul, to stop a god from killing everyone, and she was just sitting here watching this. Sure, she gave him the chance to fight, but that was all. She needed to play her part. Enerjak, he was nothing but a super powered Gizoid to her. And just like the Gizoid in the cove, he could be defeated. All with a little team effort.

She turned away. The Master Emerald was now screaming to her. She knew what she had to do now. She just had to go to it, talk to it. That was the only way.

Her sandal clad feet started off for the temple. She couldn't believe she was running back to the place, where she had been tortured, but there was no other way. It was yelling at her, begging her to come forward. She took her feet forward, bringing her through the sandy desert temples.

There was a sudden shock wave, and a roar at that. She stared up, seeing her hero crash into the ground near her. It stopped her and the Chaos Emerald dead in their tracks, as the hedgehog growled with rage. He looked at her, and immediately his face got angrier.

"I thought I told you to run!" he yelled.

"I'm not leaving you Shadow!" she yelled back.

Suddenly, he dashed forward, scooping her up in his arms. Immediately, he dashed back, dodging a lightning bolt that fell upon his position. The ground exploded, as a mad god rushed through the storm. Since he was holding a certain nubile princess, there was little the hedgehog could do in the way of fighting. So, he grew on the retreated, firing super charged Chaos Spears at his rapidly approaching foe. Enerjak growled at the tactic, firing back his own super charged Chaos Energy as well. The two blasts collided in the air, sending waves through the sky. One wave slammed into the Starman, sending him and his ally crashing into the ground.

He spun around in the air, regulating his fall, and making it that he landed on his feet. Staring forward, he saw Enerjak glare toward him. The god was creating another weapon made of Chaos, giving the hedgehog little options other than counter attacking. So, glancing at Tikal, he gave her an angered glare, as he put her on her feet.

"Get out of here, Tikal!" he ordered, taking off.

She watched as he slammed his fist into Enerjak's face, sending the echidna flying back. He took off for him a moment later, following in this powerful slipstream. And with him gone, Tikal disobeyed his order. Of course.

She continued down Glyphic Canyon's roads, making her way to the biggest temple in the area. Not only that, it was the same temple in which the Master Emerald lay. Could she do this? Could she help the Starman turn the tide, and win this deadlocked battle? All she could do was pray, which was exactly what she had in mind.

She rushed through the temple walls, coming to a great pair of doors. She could feel the Master Emerald call her on the other end, the feel of it made her breathe in and out deeply. She pushed the door open, stepping foot in such an otherworldly room. In the center of this area, an altar much like the one back in Cielo Isla. And sitting in that faux altar, the great big jewel, that keeps the world spinning.

Tikal closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath. Through the darkness of her eyes, she walked forward, and laid her hands on the great green rock. She felt the power within it, she felt strength surge through her body and soul. Her heart moved up and down, as her breathing began to regulate itself. The eight Chaos Emeralds around her, started to circle the Master Emerald, as their brilliance grew greater. The priestess' hands, increased the hold they had on the Master Emeralds hide, as this powerful vigor burned through her.

"There is a fight out there," she began to pray, "One that, I believe _he_ cannot win. He's trying his hardest, so hard, but it's just not enough. Enerjak is a god, and a powerful one at that. He holds the power of you, the Master Emerald, within him, along with that of the seven Chaos Emeralds. How Shadow, has been able to fight him off so long, to such a standstill, is unknown to me, but he can't continue. He knows the troubles of the Chaos Emeralds, he knows how they may eventually burn out on him, and his power be lost. So please, please, I beg of you, help him. Help the Starman. I've been your faithful protector, for as long as I can remember. I may not be the best, but I am humble. I've never asked you for anything, and when I have, you've been ignorant of my ploys. So please, let this be different, let this not be the same. Help him, give him the strength to win..." she started crying then, and for reasons she did not know, "I love him..."

Her eyes shined bright, brighter than ever before. Chaos Powers surged through her lithe body, as she turned her eyes skyward.

"Master Emerald!" she yelled, her voice not her own, but that of a strong-willed, adult echidna, "You have heard my daughter's whim! Answer her now! CHAOS CONTROL!"

The Emeralds started spinning, faster and faster. One after another, their glow grew, growing like multicolored suns on the earth. But that was not all. As the orange furred echidna raised her hands, the wind in this room started to pick up. One by one, the spinning Chaos Emeralds started to grow in size. Their blinding light making it near impossible for anyone to notice, but young woman before them. The green Emerald, then the red Emerald, followed by the blue Emerald, the sky blue Emerald, the purple Emerald, the white Emerald, the yellow Emerald, and finally, the second green Chaos Emeralds. All of them, grew to sizes equal to the Master Emerald, for no longer were they Chaos Emeralds. They were far beyond that. They now held Emeralds with powers greater than ever known before.

The Super Emeralds.

The Master Emerald gained a new shine, a new brilliance, one that would not be seen for another four thousand years.

Tikal gazed forward, but it was no longer Tikal, of course. Akna's eyes closed shut, as she laid her hand on her chest. She had one more prayer to give, in the world of the living.

"Please, give him the strength. My daughter loves him so much. I can feel it. This is not for the world. Call her a bit selfish, but this is primarily for herself. She needs this happiness. She needs this..."

The woman fell down. Tikal's eyes stared forward, confused as to how she got on the ground. Gazing up, her eyes fell upon the seven Super Emeralds. And she was speechless, there was no words for what she was seeing. These Emeralds, were among the greatest myths, in all echidna lore. From the Knuckles Tribe, to the Nocturnus Tribe, they spoke of these Super Emeralds, items that could grant a mortal, the power of a god.

And she stood before them.

"Go..." she commanded.

…

The gold furred hedgehog landed on a butte. His burning crimson orbs, were staring directly into the echidna he was currently battling. Enerjak landed on his godly toes, his burning red eyes, peering over the canyon, and into the soul of the hedgehog. As that rain echoed over them, the echidna began chuckling. His arms crossed.

"Fool..." he yelled over the miles, "You still fight, Starman!"

"I'll fight 'till I die..." the hedgehog answered.

"Such honest words," the echidna answered, "You know your death is near, don't you? Look at you, Starman, your powers are in flux! I can feel it through the air!"

The hedgehog growled. A brief glance down showed the golden fleece of his fur, flicker a quick black, before returning. The sight of it made him angrier, well, angrier than he already was. He wouldn't show it though.

"Are you just going to sit there and talk," he barked, charging his strength, "Or are we doing this!?"

"Okay..." the echidna smugly replied.

He dashed over the canyon, making his way toward his golden foe. Taking the initiative, the hedgehog dashed forward to meet him. Their hands slammed into one another, causing the rain around them to stop falling and expand. Within this bubble, the two godly warriors entered a tussle, of punches, kicks, and energy blasts. They just couldn't break each other, it seemed. Their wills were too strong. But _his_ body, the Starman's, was growing weaker.

Enerjak suddenly threw forth a fist, with his ungloved hand. The strike hit the Starman square in his chest, sending him careening toward the earth. Though the hedgehog stopped his fall before hitting the ground, the onslaught was not over. Enerjak fired green sphere of pure energy, one that slammed straight against the hedgehog's head. The explosion from the attack made him a virtual missile, as nothing could stop his fall now. He bounced across the earth once he landed, crashing into a rock formation a few yards down. Boulders, rocks, and sediment fell atop him, burying him alive. He didn't stay there for long, before a golden-yellow shine explode, revealing himself.

He landed on the earth on the outside, panting for air. His eyes gazed down, seeing the wound he had suffered from before. It failed to heal properly, much to his ire. Though blood no longer seeped at the same quantity, bits of it still leaked out. But that was the least of his problems. Becoming a greater threat, the hedgehog noticed the gold sheen on his body once again wane. How long had he been fighting, that this was occurring? If he didn't get a charge soon, he'd be back to normal, which meant, he'd be right back at square one, except he'd be a bit more tired. And if that happened, then Enerjak would do with him what he pleased. Speaking of which.

The godly echidna landed before him. He said nothing, as he peered at the hunched over hedgehog, with his red eyes. The Starman glanced up, his eyes tracing the lines of Enerjak. The echidna god's wounds were healing slowly, much to his burning ire. Of course he'd heal from this, he was a god after all. A healing factor is something a god would have.

"What's wrong, Starman?" Enerjak inquired, "I thought you'd be... stronger than this. What's happened? Have you finally realized just how fruitless this has all been? Are you ready to be judged?"

"I'm ready to be judged," the hedgehog answered, "But not by you."

"So arrogant," Echidna said, shaking his head, while laughs escaped his maw, "So be it! I will enjoy what I do to you, Starman!"

Shadow's hands fell to his wrist. He wasn't sure if this would be the brightest tactic, but it would be nonetheless. If he failed this, if the sudden outburst of strength he would get from his release, was not enough, then all of this would have been for naught. He had to release the bands that held him to this level, he had to. Or else.

"GOODBYE STARMAN!" Enerjak roared.

The hedgehog's golden aura started to mix with red. As he growled, he began tugging on the bands around his wrist. His eyes suddenly moved down, to scan the blue ring that belonged to a certain princess. And in the shine of that band, he noticed a reflection in it. Enerjak arrived, just as his red aura exploded.

The god was sent back by the attack, a hysterical laughter accompanying him.

"Still fighting, Starman?" he asked, "Such stupid bravado!"

The dust from the golden hedgehog's attack cleared, and Enerjak stared forward. Through the terror, he found, to his surprise, this black and red hedgehog. Shadow stared through the strike, his ruby eyes still burning bright, but his body not as strong. The sight made Enerjak chortle. All of the fighting, would be over soon.

Enerjak's foot brought him closer. There was a sudden bolt of lightning that stopped him in his tracks, however. But that bolt, was no ordinary thunderbolt. It green for some reason. The sight of the strike, made the god gaze up. To his surprise, he saw eight, great, rocks, spinning at speeds to fast to specify. They spun, faster and faster, creating a vacuum force, which formed its own tornado. The wind in the area began to pick up, but not because of the storm, but because of the unnatural storm the rocks were creating. They lowered, those eight rocks, and started to spin around the hedgehog, who was leaning on his knee. The Straman's eyes closed.

"No..." Enerjak whispered, not knowing what he was seeing, but not liking it, "NO! Stop it! THIS FIGHT IS OVER!"

"You're right, Enerjak!" the Starman's voice echoed, much different from before. It had this echo effect added to it, as if it were coming from everywhere at once, "This fight is over! But not for me! FOR YOU!"

A green light erupted from the earth, swallowing the Starman whole. Enerjak watched, as this hedgehog's dark figure, stood tall in the green light, his quills flowing skyward. The eight Super Emeralds continued to spin, but something was brought in through the mess. Enerjak watched, as this purple cape, and half-broken helmet were swallowed up by the great light. The god stepped forward, in some vain attempt to stop it, but things didn't happen to his liking. He was struck back by a powerful Chaos Bolt from the energy vortex, an attack that made him growl with rage.

"NO! I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN!" he roared.

His hands slammed together, and started to cup this great energy. This energy sphere started to expand in his hands, forming this great blast of power. The god pulled it back, then lobbed it forward, the strike slamming against the energy well.

It didn't do a damn thing.

The energy blast was swallowed whole, then fired right back out. It struck Enerjak in the chest, throwing him violently to the ground. The god didn't stay there long, for he quickly returned to his feet. And when he did, he saw something glorious.

The well of Chaos Energy faded away, the eight Super Emeralds thus ascended to the heavens. And standing there, where they once stood, was this being.

The Starman.

His torn and tattered purple cape, was now a glorious white, with this red insignia on it, they were also fully repaired. The Nocturnus helmet was no longer dark, and no longer crack, but instead white, and fully, much like the cape. Every inch of this hedgehog's being, was also white, save for the red stripes on his arms. This aura was around him, and it rapidly flashed a series of colors, all matching the Chaos Emeralds individual colors.

The Starman was floating above the ground, his life-giving eyes aimed directly at the echidna before him. Enerjak was so awestruck, he didn't know what to do. He just stared forward, with his red eyes.

Then the Starman landed. Once his feet met the earth, dust and sand was thrown skyward, as if the thought of touching him, was a horrible one at that. The earth itself bent to this beings rule's.

"What are you...?" Enerjak inquired.

The white star glared down at the echidna before him. For a brief moment, his head cocked skyward, as he thought about the god's words. Then his eyes began flashing a myriad of colors. There was only one answer the hedgehog could give the god.

"I'm the Starman... of the Ultimate Lifeform..."

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_I have no intro for this! I'm just gonna speak! Okay, go!_

_First of, thank you ultimateCCC for giving me the idea of the chapter name. The review you made for the previous chapter was so spot on, I had to name this one that. Kudos!_

_Now, some other stuff! The Super Emeralds. Oh yeah, ever since Sonic 3 & Knuckles, I've had those things on my head. Why have they never appeared, since that game? Are they too strong or something? Hell, they don't even appear in the comics! You would think that the seven most powerful objects in the entire universe, would be used more often. Anyway, I needed to make them stronger than the Super form, which isn't all that hard. They say you gain ultimate power if you have the seven Chaos Emeralds, so when you have seven Super Emeralds, I guess that makes you a god. And Shadow has eight of them! So yeah!_

_That brings me to my next point. The Hyper form. Only Knuckles and Sonic have attained this form (though if you believe the internet, Shadow took this form in SA2, which is bull, he was just super people!). I wanted to make the Hyper form so damn strong, it's as if the world can't handle the epicness! It's just to great! I think I nailed that, me personally, with that little bit in the end. _

_By the by, I really argued with myself at the end. Should I give Shadow the Starman get up again, or not? I decided to, because it looks so awesome in my head. Oh yeah, the red insignia on his cape, is supposed to be the Black Arms symbol, just so you know. Why is it there? The Hyper form did that, duh._

_Few. That's a lot, if you ask me. Boy, this story has it all, don't it? Fighting, romance? A bit of culture in there. And it's so quickly coming to an end. I can see it, can't you? Whatever the case may be..._

___Boy, I get a very DBZ like vibe from the start of this chapter. Like, Gohan vs Buu or something._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	28. Hyperion

Hyperion

How does one react, when they feel fear? How does a _god_ react, when he feels fear? Answers to such questions, are usually found within the individual. Heroes, villains, all must face fear of some kind, either in the past, the present, or the future. And Enerjak was no different.

Could he believe what he was staring at? This man, who was burning with the intensity, of the stars in the skies. With this shining silver helmet, that constricted is face, and this blistering white cape, that shielded his body.

The Starman took a step forward, his body appearing as if it were moving in slow motion, but still fast enough to cast after images in his wake. Once again, the sands at his feet were tossed skyward, his mighty footstep sending waves through the rocky ground beneath. With each step he took, the ground shook, with greater intensity. Eventually, the echidna god he was facing, started to wobble, as it grew difficult to stand up on his two feet. In one moment, he actually tripped up, falling to his knees, as the shaking grew to great. When he finally recoiled, he saw to his surprise, the Starman before him.

How the blazing warrior of the Stars got to his position so quickly, was a mystery to all. Just a second ago, he was a full half-mile away, walking in the slowest manner possibly. But now, he was standing before the god, his burning multicolored aura, making it hard to stand against him.

And there it was again. That feeling all beings of life must face, at least once in their life. The fear, was driving so deeply into the echidna god, making him quiver and shake. And that made him angry. He was Enerjak! The god! The savior for the retched world! And he was feeling fear? Not possible! How dare the Starman have the audacity to stand before him like this, making him feel this feeling of weakness? And, worst of, how the Starman just stared at him. Enerjak couldn't see his eyes nor his face, beneath that helm of his, but he was sure it was a glare. A powerful, antagonizing glare at that.

And Enerjak could stand that.

"STTAAAARMAAAAAN!" he roared, his fists being super charged by electricity.

His fingers grew tighter, in that balled up fists, the sound of his bones cracking, making thunder claps. His burning red eyes through that golden helm, shot daggers into his starlight foe. All the emotions he was feeling, was placed in that one, powerful, sight.

Then he threw a fist forward. Extremely quick, extremely powerful, a punch that could have easily leveled an entire mountain.

And the Starman blocked it. His hand, moved up in such a quick movement, stopping the attack before it hit him. Enerjak was taken aback by the sudden tactic, finding it unbelievable someone could have stopped the strike, let alone blocked it. He pulled his other fist back then, and threw it forward with equal, nay, _greater_ force than the last. A punch, which may have been able to level an island.

And the Starman blocked it. Just like the last strike. Moving his hand, right up, to catch the blow. Enerjak's eyesight intensified, as he found his hand to be once again, stopped by the Starman's defensive movement. And this only served to make him angrier.

Once again, he pulled back his hands, stepping back a few feet, as he prepared his next attack. Yet the Starman only looked at him, those shining eyes of his visor, rapidly flashing through a myriad of colors. He watched, as the Starman's hands shifted back into his cloak, leaving him defenseless. The echidna god found this to be him mocking him. Despite the fact that his foe was a god, the Starman just stood so calm, so open, to another strike. And he was saying nothing about it. He was just silent, so deadly, silent.

Once again, Enerjak's fists were charged by lightning and thunder. He let a maddening growl from his lips, as he threw forth a punch. Of course the Starman blocked it, and with equal ease as before. But that was not all. Enerjak started throwing a flurry of punches, one after another. The quick, ferocity, of these punches nature, did little to decrease their strength. Each blow, was stronger than the last, able to destroy even the greatest of creatures, the greatest of objects. And each one, the Starman blocked and deflected. A punch to the left, Starman swatted it away. A punch to the right, the Starman slapped it like it was nothing. Enerjak only increased the speed on his machine gun firing punches, trying his hardest to strike some spot of weakness in the Starman.

But none ever appeared. It seemed as if every moment he left a part of him unguarded, it was blocked by his hand, that hand that moved at starlight speeds. This only made Enerjak angrier, and forced him to push himself harder than ever before. Yet, this only served to remind the god how powerful his foe was. Never before had he been placed up to such a corner.

He pushed forth so much more strength, throwing even more fists. And something amazing happened. The Starman turned to the side, placing one of his hands in his cloak, while using only _one_ of his hands to block Enerjak's series of fists. The god couldn't believe his red eyes, as he watched the Starman stop _both_ of his fists, with only one hand. That palm of his constantly darted around, blocking one strike after another. Even when Enerjak tried out smarting him, by keeping his hand busy with one of his fists while striking with the other, the tactic didn't work. The Starman would just throw the first fist away, to deal with the other one. And that just pushed the god even further.

His rage started to take over, as he delivered mountain shattering punch, after mountain shattering punch. The forces of these blows started to echo away from the two, and travel through the earth, creating an earthquake that could easily decimate an entire city. And this series of punches, were all blocked, by one, freaking, hand.

Enerjak couldn't believe it. The Starman was making a mockery of him.

"STOP IT!" he suddenly yelled, leaping back.

The Starman didn't answer his call. He just moved his hand down, and slid it into his cloak once more. Enerjak started panting. But he wasn't tired. No, he was actually scared. Enerjak was _scared_.

"Just stop..." he said, lowly at first, as he started to form energy in his hands, "JUST STOP!"

His hands slammed together, forming a green orb of unimaginable Chaos Power. This orb grew bigger than his entire body, and much to strong to contain. It shook, and constantly surged with energy, holding the power to eliminate an entire sea-side. Giving a wild, powerful growl, he threw forth the orb in his hand. It flew straight through the air, screaming through the canyon walls as it made its way toward the Starman.

And the Starman. He just stood there.

The energy sphere of power struck him dead on, pushing him down into the earth Enerjak started nodding, as he watched his attack sink into the Starman, swallowing him whole. It pushed further and further into the earth, causing the ground to shake, as well as to expel sand and light.

"YOU SEE STARMAN!?" he roared, wildly, "THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FACE ENERJAK! THIS IS THE OUTCOME! THIS IS THE- WHAT!?"

The orb started moving up. A strange wave then traveled through it, making the green orb shift through a series of colors. Enerjak's red eyes grew brighter, as he watched the orb move up and up. And under that Chaos Orb, the Starman. And he was holding it up, with only one hand.

Enerjak walked back constantly, as he watched the orb he himself formed, be lifted up by his foe. Then the Starman flew up, and threw it forward. The great, and now multicolored orb, sphere of energy, flew screaming through the canyon walls. Though it was an attack of his own origin, he knew the dangers if he let that thing touch him. So, gripping his wrist, he opened his palm up wide, and fired out a blast of energy toward the energy sphere. His counterattack slammed into the sphere's hide, stopping it, but not to the level he wanted. The sphere just slowed down, not stopped, or better yet, went in the opposite direction like the god wanted.

"GO!" he commanded, "STOP YOUR TRACKS NOW!"

The orb continued its deadly track, however, creeping up ever so slowly, on the echidna god's position.

"I SAID STOP!" Enerjak barked.

His body suddenly glowed a great green, as he pushed forth an explosion of Chaos Power. His energy beam grew stronger, wild, and frenzied, zapping every which way, especially forward. The increased strength behind the powerful beam, ended up pushing the energy sphere sent back to him. The orb careened into the sky, where it flew straight up, eventually to be swallowed whole by the storm above.

There was an explosion next. They couldn't see the orb, but they could see the aftermath. The storming skies brightened up with a plethora of colors, as the orb erupted behind the clouds. Some of the light that peered through the clouds, were blinding to say the least, making the echidna god drop to his knees.

Enerjak was actually tired. He could barely stand right now, as his chest heaved up and down with exhaustion. Never before had he felt tired like this, he long since thought it was impossible for him. But it obviously wasn't, for he was toppled over, barely being able to stand on his two feet. But he did. He struggled to his toes, but slumped over in such a tired pose, gasps for breath, escaping his godly maw.

His foe remained before him. The Starman. A burning, colorful light, flickering in the distance. Enerjak lifted his fists, in some vain attempt to battle the being before him. His mouth opened up, to yell out his foe's name. But it never came. In the blink of an eye, the Starman was in front of the echidna god, right with the yell 'STA-' left his mouth. And all the Starman had to say to that, was,

"Shut up..."

The first words he said in a while, and they were a command.

Enerjak would not be commanded by anyone, so his mouth opened to continued his bark. That small, brief movement, made the Starman's head cock to the side. And then Enerjak felt the Star Warrior's hand around his neck.

The grip was strong. Too strong. Enerjak felt the air rush away from him immediately, as the Starman's grip tightened around his neck. With each movement, he felt pain pulse through his skin and body, making him twist and growl with rage. He peered down at his attacker, seeing the Starman's shining eyes peer back into his soul. If things continued like this, he was sure he would die. He needed to escape, or else.

"CHA-ACK!-OS, URGH! CON-TROL!"

Through his command, he vanished, only to appear in the air, above the canyon. He gripped his own neck, trying to soothe the pain he was feeling, as he breathed in and out for sweet dear life. As he did so, his red eyes peered deeply into Glyphic Canyon, scanning its many crevices and holes. He knew the Starman was there, somewhere, waiting to pop up. And he was there. Right behind him.

"Coward..." he heard, echo over the wind.

The god's eyes widened, and he spun around. Right behind him, the Starman. With his arms beneath his cloak, and eyes burning with strength. Shocked, Enerjak flew away, terror taking him, as he gazed upon this being.

"How did you...?" he said, unable to finish his words.

The Starman flew forward a few feet, his arms and hands leaving the safety of his cloak.

"What's wrong, Enerjak?" he questioned, his voice echoing about, "There's something weird about you. All that strength, all that bravado. It's not there, Enerjak. Something's inside of you. All that cocky vigor from before, all that godly strength, has been replaced with something. Fear... Enerjak... You're afraid of me, aren't you?"

"LIAR!" Enerjak roared, "HOW DARE YOU CALL ENERJAK, SCARED!? DO YOU CLAIM I AM SOME KIND OF COWARD!?" his hands slammed together, forming another energy sphere, "I'LL SHOW YOU TRUE FEAR!"

He prepared to throw forth his attack, but it never came. The Starman was upon him, in the blink of an eye. He grabbed Enerjak by his hand, forcing the sphere to careen harmlessly into the canyon. Enerjak watched it briefly, before his eyes snapped back up to the Starman. The burning white star then slammed his hand on the god's neck, grabbing it tightly.

Now Enerjak was trapped. His neck, in the Starman's hand, and his arm, in the Starman's other hand. If he was going to escape, he'd need to strike back. But his mind was still fresh with the failures of his other tactics.

Then he realized something. He was freaking Enerjak! The god! He refused to lose to a mere man of the Stars! No matter how great he appeared to be!

Enerjak's other hand aimed up, expelling a full force of power on the Starman's face. It didn't do a damn thing.

Once the energy died out, he was still trapped. Neck in the Starman's hand, arm still caught. That's when he realized something else. Being Enerjak, wasn't enough.

The Starman released him, but just so briefly. His hand then rose up high, and he brought it down on the god's head. The side of his hand, in a karate chop, fell atop the god's golden helm. The force of the blow made Enerjak's head been down, as this pain, this truly all encompassing pain, took over in his head. His vision was made so dazed, he actually went blind, but ever so briefly. But it wasn't over. The echidna god felt a blow, strike him dead on the chin. The attack made his head bend up, his eyes forced to gaze upon the Starman's glory. Then the hedgehog grabbed him by the neck once more. His shining, vibrant eyes peered into the stormy clouds, but ever so briefly, before he aimed at the ground. He pulled Enerjak up, then threw him down. The god went down and down and down, before his body slammed into the middle of the great canyon. He growled, and groveled in pain, as he felt his body tense in spasm. Then his eyes caught sight of something. A shining star was falling upon him.

No, scratch that, it _fell_ upon him.

The Starman, feet first, stomped directly on Enerjak's chest. A force so strong, traveled through the god's body, and into the earth below, triggering an earthquake of godly proportions. The attack was so great, the many rock formations that lay round them, exploded and fell, sprinkling the ground in rocks and boulders.

And Enerjak. Poor, poor, Enerjak. He screamed. He _screamed_. His body spasmed and pulsated, under the Starman's weight, as this never known, never felt, pain, bounced and pinged through his body. When he gazed up, he saw the glorious sight of the Starman, his glowing eyes, peering directly back into his own. And the Starman saw something as well.

"Enerjak..." he said, his tone mocking, "You're bleeding..."

The hedgehog of godly proportions then knelt down, his finger touching the echidna god's golden helm.

"Let me clean that up for you..."

His finger started to drag up the god's helm, until it met his eye slot. Streaming out of said eye slot, a strand of blood. The Starman cleaned up the blood line, before his hand grew into a fists. Then he slammed the fist down.

The strike caused yet another earthquake. The earth around Enerjak's head formed cracks and splits. He did this over and over and over again, each fist, being stronger than the last. The constant punches, caused a crack to form on the god's helm. This crack grew greater and greater, before one last punch, caused a piece of the golden headplate, to fly off into the distance.

The Starman pulled back, his colorful eyesight still trained on the echidna before him. Staring back, the head of a certain Imperator.

Dimitri's visage remained underneath that helmet, though the old green eyes, were a burning red. The blood that seeped out of the eye slot, was actually a scar, that lay right beneath the god's left eye. It made the hedgehog chuckle.

"You say you are a god, Enerjak," he whispered, as his hands slid back into his cloak, "But you are nothing but a mere man."

"I am more than a man!" Enerjak roared, his eyes squinting as he peered into the hedgehog before him, "I AM A GOD!"

His burning red eyes started to shine an electrical color, as he peered up. Suddenly, eye beams shot out, slamming against the Starman's head. But just like everything else he did, absolutely no damage was done, to the shining hedgehog. In fact, all it did, was make the Starman groan with annoyance. His hand suddenly grabbed the eye beams, pushing it back down. Enerjak tried to force forward much more strength, but of course, it did very little. The Starman just kept pushing, until his hand met the god's face. Then he started expelling his own show of force.

Enerjak screamed louder and louder, as the Starman fired off Chaos Energy into his eyes. Enerjak's hands gripped onto his own, as he tried in failure, to move the hedgehog's hands. But it wasn't happening. The Starman just held his grip firm, the beams of his hands growing stronger and stronger. Pieces of Enerjak's helmet were flung and disintegrated, all done by the hedgehog's impressive show of force. The echidna god let out massive growls of pain and hurt, as he tried his damned hardest to escape the Starman's killer grasp. But there was no escape. Things were going exactly the way the hedgehog wanted it too.

The Starman was winning. And the thought of it, made the echidna god seethe with rage. Through the glow of the Starman's attack, he gripped the hedgehog on the head, and squeezed it hard.

"JUDGMENT BOLT!"

There was a low cackle of thunder, then a loud one, and then, a great blue lightning bolt of heavenly proportions dropped upon the two. The light in the area flashed a vibrant color just briefly, before it all died out.

The Starman stood where he was before, smoke rising from his hyper charged body. There was no markings, or damage done to him, save for the smog. But there was something missing, that was important. The echidna that once lied at his toes, was gone. The Starman cocked his head at the perplexing sight, before a burning light brought his eyes up.

In the sky, bigger than anything he's ever seen, and with the power to level this entire land and then some, a great green orb of Chaos Energy. At the very bottom of his orb, hand raised high as he constantly shoved force into the orb, making it expand, was Enerjak. He growled with animalistic rage, as he created a weapon capable of eliminating all life on the earth. And he had the full attentions to do so.

"YOU SEE THIS, STARMAN!" he roared like a madman, "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF TRYING TO MATCH YOU PEOPLE! I HAVE COME, TO THE ULTIMATE DECISION! ALL OF YOU, ARE THE EXACT SAME! MINDLESS CREATURES, HELLBENT ON LIVING YOUR LIVES, OF SELFISHNESS, AND SINS! SO BE IT! I, ENERJAK, HAVE PASSED MY JUDGMENT ON THEE! THE VERDICT!? DEATH! BUT DO NOT WORRY! WHEN I AM FINISHED, I SHALL MAKE THE WORLD... _BETTER!_"

Enerjak pulled the orb higher and higher, before his hands fell. And with that, the energy sphere fell. It moved through the air, ever so slowly, sure to steam roll anything and everything, that got in its way. And the Starman, he just stood there. Eyes peering directly into the falling orb, as if it were nothing.

Because, it _was_ nothing, compared to him.

He crouched down, just so briefly, before exploding forward in an impressive show of speed. He was a star, within the skies, darting through the air like a shimmering arrow of light. The burning multicolored aura around him grew stronger, as he got closer to the orb before him. His hands stretched out forward, as he got closer and closer to the fallen sphere of death.

It was funny, really. These events, they felt oddly familiar. As if he did this before. In space, one time. Sonic beside him. The Ark, before him. But now there was no Sonic behind him, and the object falling toward him, was a bit greater than a single space station, despite the size being smaller. The mission was all the same, but it seemed greater in necessity. Unlike last time, that was just to save the world. But now, it was more than just the world. It was to save time, past, present, and future.

His hand met the edge of the energy sphere. Enerjak must have put his full strength into the blast, for it was putting up a bigger fight than the hedgehog originally intended. He felt his body being pushed back by this orb before him, despite the fact that he was at his strongest. It made him believe he underestimated a god. Super Emeralds or not, Enerjak was still a being of heavenly proportions, where he was nothing but a mere science project. The Starman would not let that push him down though. Whether he would be hyper, or super, or just plain normal, he would fight.

Fight like he always has.

The thought gave him the strength to push forward. His shining star of a body, pushing against the energy sphere, making it fly slowly up.

"No..." Enerjak commented, not believing what his eyes were sending back, "NOOOOOOOO!"

He raised his hand, causing a thunderbolt to strike it, then lobbed the searing burning light into the energy sphere. The tactic not only pushed the energy sphere back down, it also made it expand. Now, it swallowed the sky, in its great size. The Starman growled, as he pressed his body against the orb, trying his hardest to send it back up. The orb kept pushing down however, as Enerjak forced so much strength into it, trying so hard to kill his foe, and wipe out the planet. But the Starman just kept pushing, his spirit not giving up.

And something happened. He started hearing things. Voices, echoes, of days past, and ones yet to happen. People, who have existed, who exist now, and who will exist in the future.

_She's a good girl, Starman_, he heard Bicab's voice, call from nowhere, _You don't get that much often._

The hedgehog growled out, as he started to push forth more strength. But that wasn't all.

_Tikal's fragile, you know that?_ Ticab's voice spoke to him, _And what you just did, it was so... cruel..._

Once again, the hedgehog growled. The burning aura around his body, the one that surged with so much strength, exploded wildly. In comparison to the size of Enerjak's attack, he was a small glow, but a small glow, that was growing.

_HE MAKES ME FEEL SO GOOD! _Tikal's voice called.

He growled out, his body growing stronger. Once again, the energy sphere expanded, surely the work of Enerjak. But great sphere the Starman was holding up, started to push down, but he wouldn't allow it to win, so he started pushing up.

_Let's just say... this is a gift, hm? From me to you. My hero..._

"TIIIKAAAAAL!" he growled, his strength growing greater.

_Stay with us... Shadow... And... let's not be alone anymore..._

Stronger. His force was growing great as he pushed in the opposite direction, forcing the orb to move higher into the air. The energy sphere expanded once again, as it grew heavier. But the Starman didn't care. He wouldn't allow it to have its way. He kept pushing, despite the strength.

_Marry me..._ she said through the air.

It just spurned him. Set him moving forward. His explosive aura grew even greater, his cape moving in the wind. He would not lose!

_It's not in your place to believe_ a new voice called, this one belonging to that woman who he heard in Mushroom Hill Zone, _but instead, to do what is right, Starman._

_ She finds hope with you, hedgehog,_ that woman's voice continued, _She finds the need to be... loved, by you, and only you_.

"DIE! DIE! DIE!" Enerjak's roars, screamed over the air.

The energy sphere in the Starman's hands grew once again, drowning out everything, in its glorious green light. But the Starman's flare remained, still strong, still present. Still fighting.

_Shut up..._ he heard Tikal's dying voice call to him, _And fight, Shadow... I didn't give you this chance, so you could blow it up in my face..._

His rings. The rings he held on his wrists, the one that held back his true power. The gold one, that belonged to him, and the blue one, that belonged to another. One that he couldn't help but to love. Those rings started to slither off.

_Please, Shadow, say something. Don't look at me like that, I beg of you!_

Tikal.

_I beg of you!_

Maria.

_I beg of you!_ at the same time, the both of them.

The inhibitor rings around his wrists, he gazed at them. Time seemed to stop, as he gazed at his hands. He gripped the gold on tightly, snapped it, then allowed it to fall to the earth. His eyes trekked over to the blue band on his other hand. He gripped it tightly, eyes closing shut, as his mind was assaulted by images of a certain nubile princess.

Tikal. She had really grown on him, hadn't she? All these emotions, he had never felt before, centered around this one girl. She changed him, as much as he hated to say. She made him love her. And he did. The thought of being separated from the woman, made his mind go wild. He didn't want to be alone anymore. She didn't want to be alone. But none of that would matter, if he couldn't seal the deal now. No more playing around. It was time to finish this.

He grabbed the blue ring, and removed it. It fell to the ground. And once he heard it, fall against the gold ring, at the bottom of the canyon, he felt time start-up once more. He faced the great sphere coming upon him, face to face. And his hands met it.

Unlike before, he felt as if it didn't matter. He had now attained a stage of his power, that was both foreign and familiar to him. And he was ready to use it.

The orb was as light as a feather to him now. As soon as his hands lay upon its powerful hide, it stopped dead in its tracks. He watched, as Enerjak tried in desperation, to kill him with it, by making the orb grow and grow. But it was over. The hedgehog pushed forward with the orb in his hand, sending it higher and higher into the sky.

"I've had enough of this, Enerjak..." the god heard the Starman's voice whisper into his ears, "You came into this world, believing to be its truest savior, trying to heal it of all the evil that lies on it. But deep down, you know you are a the evil within this planet. A madman given power he couldn't hope to understand. You might have one too, had I not been here. Here to show you, and these people, what true power is."

"No... No..." Enerjak answered, "I AM THE STRONGEST!"

"Enerjak... You stand here, before me today, seeking to end all life. Such an atrocious act, it must meet with a punishment according to it..."

"What... WHAT!?" Enerjak screamed, "YOU DARE JUDGE, ME!?"

"I dare judge a man..." the Starman answered, "And my judgment has been passed. The verdict? Death..."

"NOOOOOOO!"

"Goodbye, Enerjak..."

"YOU BASTARD!"

"CHAOS CONTROL!" the Starman roared.

Enerjak stared forward. He watched, as the entire orb he just fired out, slowly started to shrink. It grew smaller and smaller, before escaping the entire sky it once filled. The entire sphere diverged into one small compact object, one that floated in the palm of the Starman's hand. He watched, as the warrior of the skies crushed the orb in his hand, absorbing it whole. Then his eyes snapped back on the echidna god's frame, making him lock up.

Enerjak waved his hands in a no manner, as he realized there was no escape. The next thing Enerjak knew, the man of the Stars was in front of him. He grabbed the echidna by both of his wrists, making it impossible for him to escape. In a flash of light, they were on the ground, surely the acts of the hyper charged echidna. He forced Enerjak to get on his knees, even though the echidna fought him off as best he could. But his best was no longer an action to the hedgehog, only a sight.

He slowly lied his hands on the echidna's forehead, where he palmed it so. Suddenly, a great, green Emerald appeared behind them. This Emerald was joined by a blue one, a sky blue one, a yellow one, a red one, a white, a purple one, and finally, another green one. The eight Super Emeralds spun around the black and red hedgehog, as well as the godly echidna. They grew faster and faster, as Enerjak's screams roared to the air. And as his eyes peered up, he saw the storms. They disappeared, as if they were nothing, in the blink of an eye. He wondered why, figuring it was the Starman's doing, but the true causer of the storm's disappearance, was coming soon. Descending upon them, a great green jewel, shining a brilliance never seen before.

The Master Emerald. It landed in the pure center of the Super Emeralds, and began spinning in place. Gravity seemed to shift skywards, for sand and rainwater, began drifting to the air. Enerjak watched as the Starman's cape flowed to the air, and soon, so did his own fur. The echidna's eyes widened, as he watched his own fur and quills, fly skyward, as gravity pulled up. Why they were still on the ground, when they should have been flowing toward the sky, was anyone's business. But he watched something. This after image, left his body, being dragged in to the sky, and into the Master Emerald.

Enerjak's red eyes turned green. But, he wasn't Enerjak anymore. Enerjak was expelled from his body, and sent back into the Master Emerald. No, he was Dimitri now.

And now, he was going to pay, pay for his holding of Enerjak. Finitevus was right, there was no way the Imperator could hold Enerjak. Why?

His skin started peeling off. The leader of the Nocturnus Tribe started to scream and growl, as this pain he's never felt before surged through him. He stared to his fingers. They started disintegrating. The toes on his feet, started to separate from his body, in the most painful way imaginable. And this just constantly moved up. Soon, his feet and hands were gone, with the rest of his body following suit slowly. Dimitri tried to pull back, as this pain took over, but the Starman wouldn't let go. The ground around them erupted into a light, swallowing them whole. For some reason, Dimitri felt at peace because of it. The pain, while still there, just ceased mattering. Even as his legs disappeared, and arms as well, the line of evaporation meeting his shoulders and torso.

And the light ended. Standing on the ground, alone, with nothing beside him, was the Starman. He wobbled a bit, finding it hard to stand for some reason. His cape flickered, changing from white to purple. So did his helmet, it changed from its white coloring, back into its dark color's of old. Then the hedgehog fell on his knees. His hyper charged form fading away, as seen by the disappearance of his multicolored aura. He sat, kneeling for a while, as he stared up into the calm sky. The stars were so beautiful.

Finally, he fell forward. His gaze lay upon these two rings that were just a few yards away. One gold, one blue. His eyes closed then. And these Emeralds started to fall around his body. No longer were they super charged. Just normal, regular old Chaos Emeralds, all eight of them.

Oh, and the Master Emerald, of course. It landed just north of the hedgehog, in the midst of the rocks it reigns king over.

Silence. Silence. Sweet, beautiful silence.

"SHADOW!" Tikal yelled.

She ran up. Her blue eyes shimmering, after the display she just witnessed. Her feet brought her forward, where she crouched down near him. Hand, grabbing the edge of his helmet, she pulled it off.

His face was so calm. The hard lines of his face, were soft now, as if she caught him when he fell asleep. The sight of it made her heart calm. She pulled him up, laid his head on her legs, then closed her eyes.

"Thank you..." she whispered, "My hero... _Starman_..."

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Holy cow, this chapter. Finally, with this, the fighting ends! Hyper Starman (Yeah I said it) vs. Enerjak, and it ended the way you thought it would. Of course the hero saves the day, duh! That's what happens in fiction! But now I digress._

_First off, I have to give the biggest shout out to Kurine, a reviewer of mine. __Kurine__ did something that I thought I wouldn't see in a million years. Kurine drew the first piece of fan art I've ever seen. Like, I cannot contain myself, and the giddiness I'm feeling. And its wonderful. I would so put a link up here, but Fan fic dot net doesn't allow that, so look up Starman on deviantart. Kurine's DA page is toomou, so you should be able to find it. Once again, Kurine, you are amazing. I'm just so... I can't even speak! Then again, you already know that._

_Now, to some story stuff! Man, when Shadow went Hyper in the last chapter, you knew things were on. All I had to do here, was create that super epic power that lies within a being that is Hyper. And I so nailed that crap! Man, Hyper Shadow just decked Enerjak. For the past three or four chapters, Enerjak was going around beating everyone! But now, he's been defeated. I have to say, I'm sorry for the somewhat violent way Dimitri/Enerjak met his end. To be honest, I thought it would be satisfying, if Enerjak got his in such a way. But there is more to it than just disintegrating bodies. You see in the comics, when Dimitri became Enerjak, and subsequently lost it, his body was lost because of it. Now, the comics don't show how (or so I believe) so I had to fill in the blanks. Sonic Archie fans will know what becomes of Dimitri afterwards, but for those who don't read the comics, don't worry, I got your back. Just wait a little while longer._

_So yeah, that scene when Shadow is holding up Enerjak's blast. When writing this, I, once again, had DBZ on the mind. That scene was inspired by Goku vs Cooler in Cooler's Revenge, and Goku, Gohan, and Goten vs Broly, in whatever the second Broly movie was called. I really can't remember right now. I just have Bio-Broly on the mind. To be honest, I was just going to have Shadow stomped the hell out of Enerjak, just to show how much stronger he was, but then there'd be no danger, so that little final struggle was added in. I still made the Hyper forms strength be known, however! Oh yeah, and that one scene where Shadow's beating the crud out Enerjak, and he throws him to the earth where he stomps on his chest. That comes from Black Adam. You know, Black Adam, from DC comics? Captain Marvel's villain? You all don't have the slightest clue who I'm talking about, do you? Ugh._

_Now, let me set the record straight. I am not a brony! I'm not saying MLP:FIM is bad, what I'm trying to say, is that I'm the exact opposite demographic, of what the show wants. That being said, Applejack is the best pony. Bar none._

_Now if you don't mind, I gotta go kill some Skedar in Perfect Dark. That Cetan ship be damned!_

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	29. Days of the Future

Days of the Future

How many times were they going to end up like this? The hedgehog she loved, laying his head on her lap, as her fingers danced in his curvy quills. She would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy this. His face, so pleasant, different from that emotionless mask he always held. Body, this healthy warmth, despite all the fighting he went through.

Not a scar or mark lied on his body, surely the effects of his transformation. It made her heart calm, as she dragged her fingers along his chest. Her digits bent passed the blades of his white chest fur, circling around areas she saw him get struck in. Holes, where Enerjak's claws entered, were all gone, as if never existing in the first place. She found it so wonderful, and lucky, how the super form could do such wonders. Even her own chest, where she had been _killed_, was healed thanks to the magnificent Emeralds.

But all that, was unnecessary now. Gazing up, she peered through the jagged valleys of Glyphic Canyon. The rock formations curved the stars up high, in such a perfect way. Those burning white diamonds twinkled so brightly, as they lied in the sea of black and indigo. The sight of them made her heart flutter so. Just a month ago, it seemed, she was sitting near the Master Emerald, as she usually did, when this man fell from the sky. He appeared to be some sort of demon, when she first laid eyes upon him, and he acted like one. Dashing around the mountain's valley, fighting Chaos, despite the fact that he could barely stand. How she visited him the next day, seeing him beaten and battered. How she tended to his wounds. How, over the course of the following week, she visited him every day, just to stare at him in absolute fear. How she got the urge to make that clothing for him. How he saved her, and the Master Emerald, from the mad Doctor Finitevus.

She closed her eyes. For some reason, she found it so hard to reminisce. She just didn't know why. She felt her eyelids grow heavy, as the tears in her eyes started to swell. After all this, all the fighting, all the adventuring, all the love, she could say things ended perfectly. Shadow had won, defeated Enerjak, ensured the safety of the world once more, and had succeeded in not killing himself in the process. For all intents and purposes, things were over, she could be happy.

Then why were these tears of sadness? Why was she hurt? Why did these tears shake her to her very core? Why was she sobbing so? And snorting this snot.

Because she knew. She knew it was over in more ways than just one. Over, in the sense, of this relationship she was having. Over, between her, and him. She didn't know why, she didn't even know when, but she knew it was all for naught. Sooner or later, he was going to awaken. Maybe they'd spend a night together, maybe not. But she knew. She knew he'd be here one moment, and gone the next.

Gone to return home. And it pained her inside.

So, the nubile princess sighed in deeply. The finger's she had on his body started to clinch him close, as a warm and long sigh escaped through his lips. When would this unhappiness end for her? First her mother, the one she never got to know, then her grandmother, and now him? Were all the people she loved, destined to be torn from her life? And what's worst, she knew his was coming soon. And it wouldn't be by death. He would be leaving her, through his own fruition.

"TIKAL!"

She opened up her eyes at the call. As one of her hands cleared the tears from her eyes, the other dragged through her dreads. She could hear rocks falling, as beings cleared the canyon walls to the dusty desert floors. They were first shaded figures, thanks to the cold night, but eventually, they broke free of the darkness of the canyon's rocks. She first saw a ruby figure, tall and powerful, with a spear in his hands. His face brightened up with happiness when he stared at the echidna before him, then confusion when he glanced down to the black and red hedgehog in her arms.

"Tikal..." he repeated, but in a whispering tone, "Are you okay...?"

She nodded, as her blue eyes peered up.

"Yes Ticab..." she answered.

It didn't take long for them to be joined by others. All around them, echidnas of the Knuckles Tribe scaled down the canyon walls, and all started to circle the princess and the Starman. She just looked up, and over to all of them, as her hands started to pull Shadow up, in a defensive manner. Most of them brought their eyes away from her, as soon as the sight of the Chaos Emeralds came to their eyes. Only Ticab attended to the ground, crouching down near her, while he gave a brightening smile.

"You look great, princess..." he said, trying to lighten the tone, "We thought... We were thinking the worst..."

"I understand..." she whispered, eyes gazing down to the slumbering demigod in her hold, "But I'm alright. The Starman was here..."

"Tikal..." Ticab said, tone growing somber, "There's... something I need to tell you about the Starman..."

"And what is it?" she asked, gazing back up to him.

"TIKAL!" she heard another call.

The sands were picked up, as she heard footsteps run up. Almost immediately, everyone in the group parted, allowing the man to run up fully. Chief Pachacamac had the most frantic visage on, as his dark blue eyes darted to and fro. He scanned the entire line of the Emeralds, before settling his eyes on his daughter, _and_ the Starman. It didn't take much to set his rage on, then again, he _is_ Pachacamac, after all.

He slid out his spear, and pointed the sharp end directly at the defenseless hedgehog. Since the hedgehog was dead to the world, there was pretty much nothing he could do. Not even Pachacamac's monstrous roar could wake him up.

The chief's blade plunged through the air, but failed to hit anything. For, right before it touched skin, a hand gripped it tightly by the end. Pachacamac was taken aback by the sight, causing his dark blue eyes to move up. Glaring back into his orbs, were these shining blue ones. And they were oh, so angry.

"Don't... You... Dare..." she ordered, in this voice that wasn't hers. She seemed to notice it herself, as immediately, she started to blink, while her face grew soft once more, "Wha... What did I say...?"

She let go of the spear a moment later, while Pachacamac's stunned face, mouthed out one word. He straightened up his demeanor a moment later, though he kept the spear trained on the hedgehog's heart.

"Tikal..." he murmured, threateningly at that, "How dare you stop me..."

"Why are you trying to kill the Starman, father?"

"It's Chief!" he yelled, "Chief Pachacamac!"

"No!" she yelled, "FATHER! For a change, just level with me, why don't you!?" where was all this spice coming from? "Now tell me why you are trying to kill him! And now! I demand an answer!"

If this was the first time Tikal ever made an outburst, the echidna chief sure was hiding it well. With that stone cold visage of his, it looked as if this was a common occurrence. This was Pachacamac, however, so it would take a whole lot to shift his tone.

"Tikal..." he said, even angrier than before, "Cease this foolish display. What have I told you, time and time before? You call me Chief Pachacamac! And you make a demand of me?"

"I do..." she said, still so angry, still with this voice that wasn't hers, "Now tell me, Father! Why have you decided to try to kill my savior."

"Savior?" Pachacamac scoffed, "Tikal, he is no savior. He's some kind of demon! A liar! A fake."

"A hero!" she corrected, "The Starman saved me, Father. Saved your _daughter_. And you try to kill him for that?"

"He claimed to be a gift from the gods, Tikal. He lied. I cannot let that deception go."

She started chuckling.

"Did you even see what just happened here? You must have, in order to show up this quickly. Did you see the golden men, who fought here? The way the earth rumbled when their fists clashed? Did you see how the Emeralds obeyed this very hedgehog, how this _demon_, attained a power you or I, could never understand? Did you watch, how this very liar, saved the world? Did you?"

He would have said something, given any kind of retort, but he couldn't. Because he _did_ see the fight. He watched as the world shook with every hit. When those beings, powered by Chaos, shook the planet to its very core whenever the struck. How their mastery of the Chaos Force was far greater than he would ever know, in this life, or the next.

How it was power he so desperately wanted to know, so desperately wanted to have.

So, he straightened up. All his subordinates stared at him, just waiting for their leader to say another word. They watched as Pachacamac closed his eyes, and thought on his daughter's words. His eyes eventually scanned down, once again to the sight of his daughter. Tikal's eyes were a bit woozy, as she lay her hand on her head. Those eyes though. It was impossible to say if it were his daughter's eyes, or _her_ eyes.

"What are you all waiting for?" he asked, gazing to his men, "Get the Emeralds, and let's return to the Cielo Isla. We're done here. Ticab..."

"Yes, Chief?" Ticab said, surprised that the leader still wasn't trying to kill the hedgehog.

"Pick up Tikal and the Starman. You should be able to take them, right?"

"Yes... Chieftan..."

"No!" Tikal said, standing up, "I'll... carry the Starman. He saved me, its the least I could do..."

Both Pachamac and Ticab stared down to her. The younger echidna male began to fret inwardly, as he waited for his leader's words. To his surprise, the chief merely shrugged, as his feet took him to the Master Emerald. Thusly, Ticab brought his eyes back to the nubile princess. She stared back up, with this face of mild shock. It seemed she was surprised herself, that she beat her father in an argument. The son of the blacksmith gave her a warm smile though. His hand stretched forward, and she grabbed a hold.

"We've missed you, princess..." he called.

"I can tell..." she answered.

…

Crimson orbs snapped open. So confused, and terrified, he was with this position. He didn't know where he was, or how he got here. All he could feel was warmth. This burning, powerful warmth. From the feel of it, he could tell it was close by, meaning this situation just became urgent. He tried leaping to his feet, but that tactic didn't work. His body was a bit rocky, like he had collapsed here.

His hand moved along the pavement ground, finding it to be wet, oddly enough. Dragging that same hand to his head, he found that it touched metal. He leaped up from the feel, before realizing he was wearing the helmet that made him the Starman. His eyes closed a second later, as his heart started to calm from the sudden scare.

Then that urgency returned.

He opened his eyes, as his body began to tense. Tugging on his purple cloak, he got to his feet, in order to stare around.

He was in Cielo Isla, on one of its roads. And there was fire. Fire everywhere. His heart began racing, as the images burned themselves into his skull. How did he get here, and what was going on? Staring up, the flames mixed with the dark starry night, making it appear as if the skies were crying blood. It wasn't a sight he wanted to see, so he brought his eyes back down to the city streets. What replaced the stars wasn't much better.

Bodies. Bodies everywhere, of echidnas. All of them, not moving, all of them dead. The sight of them made him removed his helm, as his heart started to race. He wanted to yell, but the words just wouldn't form.

What was with this destruction? Why were the buildings crushed? Why was fire everywhere? And why were things so extremely wet? So many questions, and absolutely zero answers. He started skating, his feet bringing him through the streets. The hedgehog began to fret, as he noticed echidnas he actually remembered seeing in the city. All of which were dead, of course. But one stood out from the rest.

His feet brought him to a screeching halt, as he noticed a specific body lay in the center of the road. He gazed at the orange furred girl, not sure if he was actually seeing this. Her foxy tail wasn't swooshing, while this pool of clear water, surrounded her, making her body so extremely wet. The hedgehog stalked closer to the fox, as his mouth muttered the words,

"Millikan...?"

She didn't move in the lightest. No tail movement, no ear twitching, no nothing. He brought his legs closer to her, his crimson orbs trekking up and down her body. Her eyes were half-open, but gave off no life. Her mouth was open too, as the same clear liquid that drenched her fur, seeped out of her body.

She was dead. Anyone with eyes could see that. But the hedgehog couldn't accept it. He removed his glove from his hand, and moved down to touch the child. Just as he thought, her body was so, extremely cold. She gave no heat off, just moistness, and cold.

What was going on!?

This roar, echoed. The loudest, monstrous, most Jurassic roar ever given, by anything he's ever heard. He stood up tall, his hand placing the helmet back on his head, while his ruby sight, glared over the horizon. At first, he saw nothing, just the fire on the city of Cielo Isla. But it didn't stay that way for long.

This, monster, stood up tall from the city. It had these green eyes, like a snake, and a serpentine like body. Liquid tentacles stretched from its body, whipping the air like a madman. The sea dragon's mouth opened up wide, giving out yet another dinosaur roar, before it started striking the ground for no reason, destroying buildings.

Perfect Chaos.

The hedgehog stepped back. This was the day. The day that would eventually lead to the lost of the echidna race. The day that created Angel Island. The day Tikal died.

How had he gotten here? He so desperately wanted to know, but no answers were presented to him. Regardless of the situation, he felt the need to do something. Turning around, he took in the sight of Millikan's dead body, once more. It made him so angry, and spurned him forward. So, jet shoes bursting to life, he peeled out for the monstrous dragon of water.

…

Here she sat. On her knees. The demigod still sleeping, from his intense fight. He laid on this pedestal, eyes closed, silence taking him over. Outside, the nubile princess could hear the call of people dancing, the laughs, the happiness. They should be happy. The Master Emerald, and seven Chaos Emeralds, had been returned to them. Right now, they were praising the gods for their good fortune, and they should be.

But she was not among them. Maybe it was disrespectful. She was the princess, after all, the priestess, the guardian of the Master Emerald. But she just couldn't bring herself to join them. No one said anything. They understood her need to be alone. She was just kidnapped, and possibly sent through the most dastardly of tortures, tortures she may never reciprocate to anyone. But that wasn't the reason why she was like this.

She didn't know how much longer things were going to be like this. She didn't know how much longer he would be here. She sounded so hopeless, and she knew this. This man, who fell from the stars, who she fell for so quickly. She felt weak for loving him, as if the emotion was making her less of a person. The fact that he knew he was leaving soon, was possibly the most damaging knowledge to her psyche. She knew he was leaving, and she knew there was no changing that.

Why?

"Why are you leaving?" she asked.

"Urgh..." the hedgehog answered.

She almost leaped out of her sandals, when she heard him toil. It was surprising, for he was silent the entire way here. At least it showed he was alive, and possibly coherent.

She watched as his face grew hard, angry even, before the calm and sleepy softness, returned. He moved a bit, bringing his hands up to his chest, as he cradled himself. She moved over to him slowly after, being silent in her movements, as not to stir him anymore. Her hand grabbed his hand, holding it softly. Just this touch alone, made her feel so much love. Unconsciously, his hand increased the hold on hers, making her gasp. She wasn't expecting the sudden touch, but she did enjoy it. It soothed her wailing heart, but just ever so. She could still feel the pit within. As she closed her eyes, she just saw an image of him, leaving. Leaving her to be alone, once again. And she couldn't stand the sight.

She stood tall. Her mind was running so rampant with thoughts, she was finding it hard to think on thing. That's all she needed. Some thinking time, and some space away from things.

Hand sliding into her clothing, she pulled out the green Chaos Emerald, the one _he_ was found with. The eighth one. No one knew she had the eighth one, nor did they know there was an eighth one. It was just her and his little secret. She knew he needed this Emerald, she knew this was his one ticket home. If it disappeared, she knew he wouldn't be selfish enough to take one of the other Emeralds from the altar. He would be trapped here, again, unable to leave. Unable to leave her.

They wouldn't be alone anymore. They would be together, together forever. All she had to do, was be a sneaky little _demon_, and discard the jewel. Just cast it into the river banks, where it will be washed away forever. He would have no way of returning to his time, have no way of leaving her. But that's only if she had the heart to do such a thing.

There was this annoyed and angered groan that escaped her lips. Such decisions were so hard. Either _her_ happiness, or _his_ happiness. It wasn't an option she could make in one sitting, and definitely not one she could make with him laying right there.

So, hiding the Emerald back into her clothing, she started for the exit. Her feet stopped right at the exit, but ever so briefly. In that time, she glanced back at the hedgehog she had fallen for. Then she left, being as silent as the night air.

…

He landed on a rooftop. The sound of his toe, hitting hard stone, wasn't a sound he was enjoying right now. Crimson eyes staring forward, he peered into the aquatic wasteland before him.

Water and fire, everywhere. The Mayan city was half-submerged, by the screaming sea dragon from before. The hedgehog didn't know what was going on. It was terrible. Bodies littered the water, all floating. All of this death and destruction, thanks to one monster. Speaking of which.

The hedgehog stared up. The culprit stood far and tall before him, screaming out wildly, as he lashed out at the city. The Starman didn't understand though. Why would he do this? Why would Chaos kill everyone? The time he spent here, in the past, showed that Chaos wasn't like this. He watched the water god play with Chao at the temple. The only time he showed rage, was when someone was attacking the Master Emerald. Then why here, why now? Why was he attacking the city he was sworn to protect? What could have caused this mindless rage?

"CHAAAAAOOOOOOSSSS!" he roared out.

The ancient god heard his call immediately. Those green snakes that were his eyes, snapped down to the cloaked hedgehog, that stood tall before him. The Starman watched, as Perfect Chaos' visage grew angrier, well, angrier than it already was. Raising one of its many tentacle, it lashed out at the hedgehog standing before it. The Starman dodged the attack flawlessly, though the building he stood on was less fortunate. The construct was crushed by Perfect Chaos' violent assault, crumbling down into virtually nothing.

Once again, Perfect Chaos roared, while his green eyes followed the Starman. He watched, as the hedgehog skated along the city line, leaping and scaling buildings like they were nothing. Feeling the need to eliminate that which he felt was nothing but a target, the water god formed arrows of light. He fired them toward the Starman, making the hedgehog dodge his attacks.

Shadow leaped over one, dodging it barely, before entering a spin roll, dodging yet another one. Once he exited his spin, he found a tentacle, piercing the air toward him. The attack struck his body full force, slamming him into a building side. Water rushed under and into mask, forcing its way into mouth and nose, and eventually, into his body. He growled violently, as his ruby eyes peered through his visor. He didn't know what was worst, the pain of being hit by such a powerful strike, or the drowning. Whatever it was, he wasn't intending on dying just yet.

He spun into a ball, and propelled himself out of Perfect Chaos' watery limb. Falling out of it, he tore off his mask, in order to gasp for air. Water poured out of the Nocturnus helm, showing him just how deadly it would have been, had he kept it on. Then again, it was equally deadly to be standing out in the open, with a raging god just a few yards away.

So, shuffling on the helmet at sonic speeds, he became the Starman once again. His feet brought him to the side of a building, where he began to charge up an attack. Once it met its threshold, he turned to the raging god, thrusted out his hands, then yelled out,

"CHAOS SPEA-!?"

His command never finished, for he was out roared by someone else.

"CHAAAAAOOOOSSSSS!" a woman's voice called.

His hand fell immediately, while his ruby eyes darted around the area. That voice. It was _her _voice.

"Tikal...?" he whispered, lowly to himself.

His crimson eyes took to the skies immediately, as he felt this shiver run through his spine. He quickly darted to a roof top, in order to gaze upon Perfect Chaos in his massive glory. The watery god was no longer interested in the hedgehog, his green eyes were searching frantically for someone else. He screamed out a few more times, as if demanding the intruder to reveal herself, before his eyes caught hold of something. Shadow followed the eyesight of the water god, to the roads beneath.

There was this woman, holding her arm, as blood dripped from the weakened limb. She looked furious, hurt, sad, and resolute, somehow, all at the same time. Behind her, laying on the ground, the Master Emerald.

"CHAOS!" Tikal yelled, letting her voice be known, "I TRIED! I TRIED TO CALM YOU!"

The watery god screamed at her, his green eyes peering directly into her soul. It was as if he didn't believe her.

"I tried..." she whispered then, "You can't say... I didn't try..."

What was this nightmare? Why was he transported here? What was he supposed to see? This? He didn't want to it! He wanted to have no part in this. But he was here, and he could do something about it.

Perfect Chaos rose his liquid limb, prepared to strike down the princess before him. He had killed everyone else, what would one more person be?

"The servers are the seven Chaos..." she began, and so silently, "Chaos is power! Power enriched by the heart!" now, with more force, "The heart is the controller! The controller serves to unify Chaos!"

The water god gave out yet another roar, as his tentacle drove forward through the air. Shadow started spinning, faster and faster. The limb was just about to meet Tikal, when the hedgehog dashed forward, propelling himself through the air.

"STOP CHAOS!" Tikal ordered.

"TIKAL!" Shadow roared, right before he met the tentacle.

"RRRAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Perfect Chaos let out.

Things seemingly slow down then. Tikal started shining brighter and brighter, before becoming near blinding. Shadow found his body sliding right in front of Chaos' limb when, suddenly...

Time stopped. Completely. Shadow found himself stuck in midair, as everything around him was frozen, like a picture frame. All the fires, all the water, all the sounds, were just immobile, as this cold empty silence took over. He gazed up, seeing Perfect Chaos in a roaring pose, as he strikes down upon Tikal. Gazing down and over, he saw Tikal, arms spread out, as she shined this brilliant light. Then he gazed down, to the wet water covered ground, he was hovering above.

He tried to get down, but there was nothing he could do. He was frozen here, perfectly.

"Chaos Control..." he whispered to himself.

"Indeed, Starman..." a voice answered his call.

His eyes widened. It was a woman's voice, and a familiar one at that. The same voice that called out to him when he was in the forest, was calling out to him right now. And it was right behind him.

"It's funny what abilities one learns, when they are dead."

A hand fell onto his back, making him fall to the earth. He growled in pain, as he shook from the short drop. Brushing some water from his chest, he turned around to see the woman speaking to him. He saw this woman gazing back. A great golden, diamond encrusted necklace hung around her neck. Her shirt was short, stopping just above her stomach, much like another echidna the hedgehog knew. Her skirt was wonderfully designed, being brown, yellow, blue and green, with designs of emeralds on them. She had bulky gloves on her hands, much like all echidnas. And on her forehead, and imprint of a Chaos Emerald. But all that was immaterial. What mattered, were the blue bands on her wrists, for they revealed who she was.

"Akna..." the hedgehog whispered at first, before growing louder, "You're Akna!"

The echidna crossed her arms, as her feet brought her forward. Her face grew hard, and her glare intensified, as the hedgehog took a few steps forward. She was a really tall person, easily towering over him, despite his stature. To be honest, the hedgehog felt a bit overwhelm. This was a woman, defeated Ultimate Emerl by herself, an act that wouldn't be repeated for four thousand more years, by a specific blue one. She was once the protector of the Master Emerald, and from how people speak in such reverent tones of her, she might have been one of their greatest. And she was before him.

"Akna..." he stated.

"So you're the Starman..." she commented, touching him on the chest, "Hm... I can't say I'm disappointed..." she strolled calmly over to the time frozen echidna who was currently sacrificing herself, "I was kinda hopin' she would marry a strong echidna man but... oh well... I can't say I'm..." she looked over to him, and with a smile on her lips, "Unhappy with her choice..."

"Did you bring me here, Akna?" the hedgehog asked.

"Yes I did, hedgehog. Funny who you meet up there, in the wild yonder... Great place too... Pretty sure you'll enjoy it..."

"Why am I here?" the hedgehog asked.

"First, the mask," she said, tapping the Nocturnus helm, "Let me see the man who stole my daughter's heart. Plus, the helmet is an eyesore. Those things never fit my head well..."

The hedgehog cocked his head at her weird choice of words, before remembering she was once apart of the Nocturnus Clan. So, figuring she didn't want to remember her cold upbringings, he removed the helmet from his head, and held it in his arms. His eyes were closed for a short while, before staring forth at that woman before him.

Akna smiled this sunny smile, as she crossed her arms, and cocked her head. Her shining blue eyes, peered long and hard into his burning crimson one.

"You've seen so much pain, haven't you?" she asked, "I can see it all, hedgehog, in your eyes. It's kind of cute, really." she started dragging her fingers down his chest again, "I can see why she chose you."

"Akna..." he growled, pressing the issue, "Why am I here?"

"And so serious," she continued, "Good attributes to have. Men like you are good at making decisions, no matter how hard they may be. But you're a perfectionist. That'll get you killed, let me tell you..."

"Akna..."

"Okay, okay..." she said, stepping back, "You'd be surprise what you see, when you finally die, hedgehog. I know I was. When I died, however, I didn't go up to any ideal of heaven, my soul had already been chosen. Chosen to be held within that Emerald over there," she pointed at the Master Emerald, "I didn't want to be inside of it. In fact, I hated it. I wanted to know why I was trapped in there. But then, I learned why. Being one with the Master Emerald granted me abilities with the Chaos Force, I had never thought possible before. One of which, was seeing the future. I enjoyed my stay, Starman, I watched everything I could possibly conceive. The future, the past, things during the present. But then..." she grew quite saddened, "I saw what would happen this day. I watched the day, in which my husband, Pachacamac, wished for power he couldn't hope to understand, and stormed the Master Emerald. And I was powerless to watch, as Chaos used the seven Emeralds to become Perfect Chaos, and wipe out my home. I watched as my daughter... sacrificed her life... to stop him. I learned that, because of it, she will be trapped within the Master Emerald, and I will finally be free to move on. And I hate it!" she slammed her foot down, causing the earth to shake briefly, "I couldn't believe what I watched! My daughter was going to die, before she even got the chance to truly live! I was so furious! I wanted to break the Master Emerald, from the inside out! Yes, I understand. It is the duty of the Emerald Guardian, to protect the city, the _world_ should the time arise. But I never wanted this for her. It was all my fault she got this power. I knew it the moment I felt her, give off her power. I knew this fate was hers. And I thought I doomed my daughter..." then she smiled. The echidna turned to the hedgehog a moment later, while her smile grew, "But that all changed... when _you_ fell from the skies. The moment you appeared, in the sky, thanks to that vortex you accidentally created, I knew everything was going to be alright. I don't know how, I just did. The Starman, Shadow the hedgehog. Hm... Has a ring to it..." then she grew serious, very serious, he didn't even know someone could be that serious, "I'm sorry I brought you here... I had no choice, hedgehog. As much as I hate to say this, and believe me it does, this moment _has_ to happen. There's absolutely no one here who can bring calm Perfect Chaos, only Tikal can..." he looked up to her, and squinted, "Yes, Starman... Not even you..."

"I don't believe you..." he said, growing angry.

"You _do_ believe me..." she answered, crossing her arms once more, "You just don't _want_ to..."

The hedgehog gazed away. She was right.

"I don't want it..." she continued, "And I don't like it... but it must happen..."

"SO WHAT!?" he barked, "I'm just supposed to sit back, and watch! You might not be able to do anything about it, Akna, but I can! Make time move! I can defeat Perfect Chaos!"

"No, Starman," Akna answered, with a chuckle no less, "You can't... This day, Chaos used the negative side of the Emeralds, to super charge himself. His own opulent rage this day, gave him the strength to be nigh unbeatable..." she gazed at him, "Even for you, Starman. Time and time again, you've faced foes who's only drive, was their own selfishness. But not Chaos, not in this night. He was powered by the same thing, that drove you for many days of your life... Revenge, Starman. Not to mention, he has all seven of those Emeralds inside of him, giving him unlimited power. Tikal knew this. She knew there was no way to stop Perfect Chaos, other than by using the Master Emerald. So, that's what she did. She decided to trap herself, and Chaos, inside the Emerald's hide. That will create a problem thousands of years from now, but I'm pretty sure you know that..."

"So... there's nothing I can do..." the hedgehog answered, eyes closing.

"You can love her, Starman..." she answered, laying her hand, on his shoulder, "And she'll wait for you..."

"What... What do you mean...?" the hedgehog asked, eyes opening.

To his surprise, Akna was gone, as if she was never there.

"Just love her..." the woman's voice echoed, "And she will wait for you..."

The Starman's eyes gazed up to the sky. Time was still frozen, save for one star. That star started to twinkle, until it began falling. It grew brighter, and brighter, shining a light the hedgehog had never seen before. He watched, as that star fell upon the Nocturnus helm he owned, and changed it. It remained the same, save for the symbol on the forehead. The Nocturnus insignia transformed into something different. It made one of a star. The hedgehog couldn't help but to chuckle, as he placed the helmet back on his head.

"Honestly... I'm sorry you had to see this..." Akna's voice echoed, "I know you love her, so I knew it would be hard for you to just leave her in the past. I had to show you the role she plays, Starman."

"I understand..." he answered as his eyes closed shut, "Chaos Control..."

…

The hedgehog struggled up. The room he lay in was silent, with cold candlewicks letting steam rise into the air. He stared at them, for a long time, before pulling down the velvet covers that was on his body. The only light within the room, came from the sparkling blue band, that lied atop a golden one. At the base of this bed, in which he lay in, his shoes and gloves. There was just one thing missing.

Tikal.

He got up from this bed, and stood tall in the empty room. Taking a few steps over to his shoes, his toes suddenly hit something. Gazing down, he found his Starman helm, and his cape. On the forehead of said helmet, the Star imprint. The sight made his eyes squint.

…

Azure Lake. Great, round, spacious, a luscious place where echidnas often find themselves. The mountains in the distance, reflect along the lake's great body, and with the lake's calm waves, it appears to be a mirror reflection. A place of silence, wind and sound naturally never touch it, usually being swallowed up in the forest to its back, or the mountains to its front.

And this is where the nubile princess found herself. At the lake's edge, staring at her own calm reflection. The green Emerald lied at her toes, to the side, also being reflected by the lake's splendor. She wanted so desperately to come up with a decision, but she just couldn't. Her mind was having a war with itself. One side, being so selfish, wanted to keep the hedgehog and never let him go, the other, being so sacrificial, wanted to give him the Emerald, and just do her best to forget about him. But she knew it wouldn't be possible. After all they went through, the adventure, the happiness, the pain, the love. She knew she would never be able to forget. That's not an act she thought would be possible, nor an act she wanted to partake in.

She didn't want to forget, even if it did make her feel better.

How was she supposed to come to a decision, when she was acting like this? Then again, a better question would be, why was the universe treating her like this? What had she done, that set her up like this? All she wanted, was the hedgehog she loved. Such a simple request, but not one she was being given.

She was destined to be alone, she knew that, all she had to do was come to terms with it. Just give him the Emerald, say goodbye, and pray the sadness and heartache would go away. Maybe one day, she'll find love in another, and forget all about the black and red hedgehog. Just maybe. Hopefully.

She wasn't alone.

She heard the breathing of another in this area, as well as the bending of the grass. She turned around quickly, her foot hitting the Emerald as she did so. She at first, saw nothing but a shaded figure, staring at her through the grassy forest, before that figure stepped forward.

The Starman. He held his helmet and cape in hand, as his feet brought him to the lakeside. He seemingly ignored Tikal at first, as his hand dipped into the lake. He pulled back some water, and marveled at how clean it was. He sipped drank the substance down, marveling at how clean and tasteful it was. It actually served to remind him just how long it was since he last ate or drank. It felt like forever. Knowing that the next time he'd be allowed to enjoy such a taste, he took his time and, and slowly drank in everything there. The cool taste, the reinvigorating feeling it sent through him, he could help but to smile at the taste. But once it was gone, that indifferent face of his returned, but ever so slowly.

He brought his crimson eye up, and looked at her. Tikal gazed longingly at the Chaos Emerald beside her feet, as she took in a deep sigh. Her hand moved up to grab her chest, but the feeling never came. Instead, she found her hand being held by him. She didn't yelp or scream or even give a face of surprise, she just stared up. He stared back, as he comfortably sandwiched her hand in between his.

No words were traded between them, just their eyes. She peered so long, and so hard, into his crimson orbs, while he stared so long and so hard into her cerulean ones.

"I don't want you to leave..." she whispered.

He just stared at her, not breaking that face of his in any way at all. Instead, he lifted his hand, and placed it on the side of her muzzle. She closed her eyes at the touch, as her head leaned in and enjoyed the touch. So warm it was, filled with life. Life that she loved, life that showed she wasn't alone.

"Please... Take me with you..." she asked instead, finding that to be a better answer.

Once again, he only looked at her, as his hand started to clench the side of her face, in a touch so gentle. She looked at him, finding his lack of words to be so odd. She wanted so much to hear some kind of answer, some kind of anything. Any statement, showing that he was listening.

But she knew he was, more than she would ever know. There was just little they could do. No answers to give, no questions to make. They were just going to have to make the most of things, it seemed.

He crouched down, and grabbed his Emerald from off the ground. In a slow manner, he shuffled the jaded rock into his cloak, making it disappear. His eyes then turned back up to Tikal. She had, seemingly, come to terms with what was going to happen to them, even though she didn't want it to. Even though _he_ didn't want to. So, he found the need to help her.

"I never said this properly..." he whispered, getting closer, "And I'm pretty sure I never will. I'm sorry I didn't get the nerve to do so, even though you deserve it..." he closed his eyes, "I don't know why happened to me... or why I feel this way around you..." he was taking that tone again, that tone he had from the dance, so long ago. The trance like one, "I love you Tikal..."

And then, he hugged her. She was so taken aback by his words, she didn't know what to do at first. So, she hugged him back, and tightly as well. She felt tears stream down her face, as she knew this man wouldn't be with her for very long. It was so wrong. They had just returned to one another. He had just saved her from Nocturnus, and Finitevus, and those black monsters, and Enerjak. And now he was leaving again.

But she could accept it this time. All because of those four, simple words.

He loved her.

She suddenly felt his cloak on her shoulders, and his helmet in her free hand. His hand still lied on hers, as he slowly took her back into the city. This was going to be their last night, and he was going to make it worth it.

…

His eyes opened hours later. They scanned everything in the room, but ever so briefly. There were no words that needed to be said, he just had to leave. So, he peered down to the slumbering beauty laying on him. She snuggled in deeper, through her silence, before growing still once more. Gently, the hedgehog moved her to the bed, as not to disturb her sleeping. As he casted his feet over the bed, he peered endlessly around the ground, eventually finding his beloved air shoes and gloves. In the silence of this morning, he placed them on, being extra meticulous to not make any noises.

He stood tall in his splendor, despite the fact that he was doing something he wouldn't like. But the deed had to be done. He had to leave, or else. If he didn't leave now, he was afraid he wouldn't gain he strength to do so in the future.

His feet started for the window. He poked his head through it, and peered down the streets below. They were so silent, showing no one was awake as of now. His ruby eyesight increased, as he started climbing up the window. But someone stopped him.

"Is that it, then? You're just going to leave...?"

He felt his heart stop in place, but he didn't show it. He brought his foot down from the window seal, and stared over to the woman speaking to him.

Tikal laid in her bed, holding onto her sheets to cover herself, as her blue eyes shot this glare, and tears spilled from her eyes. His feet brought him closer to her, though this wasn't how he wanted things to go. She was hurting.

"You weren't even going to say bye?" she whispered, her voice briefly losing its tone.

"I didn't want you to hurt..."

"YOU DIDN'T!?" she suddenly barked, before growing silent again, "You didn't? How could you say that, Shadow? What, you thought not saying anything would be better than actually saying something?"

She was so angry, and so hurt. It made the hedgehog shiver.

"I know..." he whispered.

"Then why? Why were you just going to leave like that?"

"I thought it would be better this way..." he answered, truthfully. Then why did he feel so wrong.

"You thought wrong!" she wanted to scream, "Shadow the hedgehog, I can't believe you'd do something like this! You'd be so sneaky so... so... cowardly..."

"I'm not being cowardly!" he growled back.

"Then what do you call this...?" she asked, practically begged.

"I call this sacrificing..." he answered, "I don't want to leave you like this... but I thought you'd be happier this way..."

"You were wrong, Shadow..." she closed her eyes, "I'd want to say goodbye... Or at least, be given the chance too... I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to see you again..." her voice got caught in her throat, while those tears continued to stream, "I just... I would just want to... spin as much time with you as I could..." she opened her eyes then, and stared into that indifferent face she had come to love, "Wouldn't you...?"

Her question made him glance away, where he crossed his arms. Then, a smile came to his lips, one that brightened the tone a little. It was funny because, Tikal wasn't sure if she had seen this man smile before. And it made her smile too.

"You're right..." he said, sitting on the bed, and scooping her up in his arms, "I suppose I should just stay. Screw the future while I'm at it..."

Though his tone was sarcastic, and pretty belittling, it didn't loosen Tikal's mood. In fact, it made her smile more.

"Maybe you should..." she answered, smiling, "What does the future have that we don't have anyway?"

"I don't know... a lot of things..."

"Hey!" she giggled.

"While I'm here, maybe I should just go and tell everyone what we've been doing so much..."

"No! No!" Tikal laughed, "You can't do that!"

"Then," he stood up tall, and looked at her, "Maybe I should be on my way..."

Though she knew what he meant, and though she knew what the would mean for them, she still smiled. Her face did fade away into a more somber tone however, and soon so did his. He grew a few feet closer, while his hand fell to the blue ring on his wrist. Tikal's eyes widened, as she watched him slowly remove it.

"No, Shadow!" she called at first, but his hand cut her off.

"I know what I'm doing..." he said, as the blue ring lay in his hand.

"But... Your powers..."

"I'm fine, Tikal..." he answered, "Once I get to the future, I'll make myself a new inhibitor ring."

"But... Shadow..." she whispered, "I want you to have it..."

"Just keep it..." he said instead, moving down, "It's a promise... One day... I'll come back... And I'll get that ring from you..."

"You'll... Come back?"

"One day..." he whispered, "One day... What we have... It's... an immortal bond..."

She wanted to question him on his words. But they were just so perfect, she couldn't. So instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and brought him in close. Their lips met, tasting this kiss, one that may be their last. It was longer than all the other ones they shared, deeper too. The way she held on him, and the way he held onto her, was just so perfect. The warmth, the taste, the length, the silence. They were in their own perfect little world, one where nothing seemed to matter, but each other.

No one knew who broke the kiss first, but both were woefully disappointed. But the time had come.

His crimson eyes opened first, seeing blue stare back into him. Standing tall, he once again made way for the window. She watched, as his feet met the edge of the seal, and his head stuck out. And right before he leaped, she called out to him.

"Shadow... Goodbye..."

He turned back, while his eyes squinted.

"It's not goodbye..." he answered, "It's see ya later..."

And then he was gone. Leaped out of the window, to the roads below. She walked up to the window seal, these tears dragged down her face, as she felt her heart stop. Staring out the porthole, she just saw empty roads.

He was gone.

…

Space. Silent, cold, deadly. But not to him. He floated through the dark abyss, not moving in the least bit. His green blood flowed from his body, only to be instantly frozen by the extreme conditions. If he needed air, he surely would be breathing hard. But such things were unnecessary to the Black Arms king.

How long had he been here? He didn't know. His burning red snakes were just staring, staring longingly, and forever. He looked dead to the world, but he wasn't.

How had he lost? He was the ruler of the Black Arms. Scratch that, he _was_ the Black Arms. He was what they were. Body and soul. Then how could he lose? How could he be defeated, and so easily, by a mere mobian? It angered him to no end, made him want to lash out and kill. But his body was still weak. He barely survived that final blast, was almost killed. But he survived. Black Doom _always_ survives.

The planet would be spared. _This_ time. It seemed, that there were more to those animals than he originally believed. If gods were among them, he'd need to return with a better plan. He'd need to return with a stronger army. And the next time he'd come, he'd have a secret weapon. A warrior, just like them, who could use the Emeralds, just like them.

An apparition, this warrior would be, a shade at best. A sleeper soldier, who would help him take the planet, when they least expected it. Then those humans and mobians would be damned. And they could call to their gods if they wished, but his warrior would silence them. His warrior would silence them and their gods. His warrior would kill them all.

He felt something drag against his scaly skin. Gazing up, he saw a Black Hawk, dragging itself against his body. His hand lifted, to pet the small creäture before him. Then he saw something else. His beloved Black Comet.

Just you wait, planet. Just you wait...

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_And holy freaking crap, this is a long one. Then again, it deserves it. Did you read the chapter? I mean, it ain't the end, but the end is soon. You'll see what I have to say. And I have stuff to say, so sit down you guys. This'll be a doosie._

_First, another thanks to Kurine, my fan artist (is that term?). Kurine drew Akna not to long ago, and did so in a way so perfect, I actually used her design as a point of reference in this tale. Seriously, if you haven't seen her art for this story yet, you should, I'm telling you! Seriously! Her designs for Millikan and Akna are so spot on and perfect, it's scary!_

_Next, the day Tikal sacrificed herself. Obviously, I took some liberties with it. Well, it ain't that different. In the games, they just showed Tikal praying to the Master Emerald, and then that was the end of the cutscene. I just figured it ate Perfect Chaos after that. With this story, I tried to explain just how strong the old water dragon is, and I think I got that. And no, Millikan isn't dead. Maybe this is revealing something, but that was just an apparition induced by Akna. Sort of like what Tikal does with the main characters of SADX. In my mind, Millikan didn't die because of Chaos. That was just Akna showing Shadow just how bad, and how much of a menace, Perfect Chaos is. To be honest, no one really speaks much of this. I mean, Tikal's whole people were killed, and she sacrificed herself to stop it. I hate to draw parallels, but it really does match Shadow. The raid on the Ark, hello? They both lost a lot of people, who cared for them. See, they are perfect for each other!_

_Next, Black Doom. Obviously, he didn't die. If he did, how would Shadow exist? He just barely survived Enerjak's attack at the end. The fight with Enerjak was pivotal in Shadow's creation though. That ass whooping Black Doom just got, was what inspired him to make Shadow. That's the 'secret warrior' he keeps going on about. Yup! I filled in another part of Shadow's crazy back story! I need a medal! Seriously though, why did Black Doom make Shadow to get the Emeralds if he did such a good job of getting them for himself? Maybe Doom's lazy. I don't know._

_And the last scene between Shadow and Tikal. Believe it or not, I made that to parallel the scene between Romeo and Juliet, when Romeo had to leave, because he was banished from Verona. Yeah! They copy each other in quite some way. Romeo and Juliet just woke up in the morning after a night of passion, Romeo had to leave, but Juliet was like 'No no! Stay', and Romeo was like 'If I say, I die!' and Juliet was like 'Stay!' and then Romeo was like, 'Okay fine, but if I get caught and killed, it's your fault', then Juliet was like 'Okay go.'. In this, Shadow just brought up time paradoxes and getting caught in her bed. So, yeah. If you haven't noticed, I've made quite a few allusions to Rome and Juliet before, Fairwell, Fair Cielo Isla is just a more blatant one._

_Well, the longest chapter is down. I swear you guys, I don't even mean for this stuff to happen, but whatever. From what your reviews say, you guys love long chapters. Any who..._

_Till next time..._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	30. Until Next Time

Until Next Time

For what felt like hours, she stared out that window. Not moving, not making any words, just staring. The morning sun had become the afternoon one, and people had begun roaming about the streets, by the time she gained the energy to move. She must have appeared to be a crying woman, the nubile princess did, for the tears that rolled down her face started to stain her muzzle. She sobbed and moaned quietly to herself, as this unsettling cold crawled up her spine, and eventually into her whole body.

He was only gone a few seconds, and she was already acting like this? The hedgehog must have been some kind of machine, or perhaps he was the demon she always thought he was, for in such a short time, he was gone. Was he going through the same emotions she was going through? Obviously not. He wouldn't have disappeared so quickly. He would still be here.

Her tears and sobs were growing louder, as this disgusting drool started to sob from her lips. Grabbing the side of her head, and gripping those quills, she felt as if a piece of her had been stolen. She felt so alone again. It wasn't a feeling she wanted to have inside of her again, but here it was. Having its way with her.

She coughed a bit, her blue eyes closed shut, and she focused on the image of her grandmother. Practically, anything was better than thinking about him. It wasn't going to be easy, to forget him, especially with his last words to her.

_It's not goodbye... It's see ya later..._

Was she supposed to hold onto those words for hope? Or were they just the last things he said to her, and he wanted them to be optimistic. To be honest, she didn't want optimism. She wanted the cold, honest truth. Anything was better than a lie.

Maybe it wasn't a lie. Maybe there was some truth, within his words. What else did he say to her? What were the words that held so much hope, and actually calmed her a bit down as she thought on them? In fact, the promise was right here, in her hands, and around her wrist. Blue eyes trekking down to her dainty fingers, she found her coveted blue ring in her palms. And around her wrist, the busted golden ring that belonged to him.

"What we have..." she found herself whispering, in a trance like voice, "It's... an Immortal Bond..."

Swallowing her spit, she trekked somberly over to her bed. Her fingers, dragging alongside its sheets, she found her mind thinking back to her ebony lover. And how much love he showed her last night. Maybe it was wrong of her to feel this way. Maybe it was wrong for her to be so depressed like this. He made a promise, after all. And from the time they were together, she found that his promise were going to be kept.

There was a gleaming light in the room. Turning her head around, her blue eyes graced the side of the Starman helm. The cape and helmet were placed on the desk in her room, and with the sunlight gleaming through the window in such a way, it casted a light upon the helmet. With this natural light placed on the helmet, the star-shaped symbol on the forehead, gleamed brighter than ever before. The sight of it made her stand.

This helmet, this cape, and this busted ring, were all she had of him. His fists unconsciously tightened, as she bit her lip. Feet moving forward, she walked toward the cape and helm, and grabbed it. Holding it up, it felt so lifeless in her hands. And yet, it also held this powerful warmth. Like it was alive. Peering down to her wrist one again, she felt _his_ ring start to quiver, like it was working in conjunction with the helm before her. Face changing into this questioning glance, she carefully slipped his ring off from her wrist, and placed it near the helmet.

Nothing. Nothing happened. And yet, she felt as if it was perfect like that. As naked as her hand felt without that ring around it, things just felt better if it stayed like that. So, holding her blue band tightly, she slithered it onto her wrist.

And all was as it once was.

Her blue orbs closed shut, as a few fleeting tears streamed by. She was getting sick and tired of this. All this crying. She had done more crying over this past month, than she did in her entire life, she felt. And she was sick of it. She wanted to stop this crying. To put it lightly, it was hurting her eyes.

So, as she gripped her usual clothing, she chuckled awkwardly. It was forced, and half-hazard, but it calmed her spirits a little. The tears finally stopped.

As she draped this robe along her body, covering herself, she peered intensely into the Starman's helm. Her arms scooped up the helm and cape, while doing the same for her clothing. And once again, her feet started moving, taking her out of her room, and eventually out into the sun drenched streets of Cielo Isla. Each echidna that crossed her on the street, stopped immediately at the sight of her. She paid them no mind, the Master Emerald Guardian did, as she held tightly onto the helmet and cape.

"Princess!" a strong voice called from behind.

She turned to face the speaker, her face so cold, as he walked up. Ticab was smiling, as he usually did, but he stopped once he noticed the garbs in her hands. It seemed everyone in the area grew just as silent, as no words were spread between. The older male peered down to the chief's daughter, as she slowly, and without emotion, handed forth the Starman's cloak and helm. Ticab was understandably taken aback by the motion, as his own hands reached forth to hold that which belonged to the warrior of the Stars. As he held them in his powerful palms, he gazed back up to woman before him.

"He's gone now..." she answered the question he was bound to ask.

"But... where...?" he instead inquired.

"Home..." she responded flatly.

No one said anything else. She just started walking, and made her way off. Eventually, she was swallowed up by the crowds, growing incognito among them.

…

"So... what happened between you and the Starman?"

Tikal pulled her head up from the rushing water, taking a deep breath as she did so. Her blue eyes fluttered open after a while, as she shivered lightly from the cold air. Hand dragging across her now wet dreads, she brought her gaze down from the clean waterfall, and over to the girl who asked the question.

Naked beside her, perched on a rock, as she cleaned her body with her clothe, was Millikan. And though she was currently in the process of cleaning herself, her attention lied firmly on the echidna besides her. Those blue orbs of hers were shining brightly, as she waited for the nubile princess to form an answer. The reply she got, was water to the face.

"HEY!" Millikan yelled, nearly falling off the rock she sat on.

She brought her clothe up to her face, and dried off, before snapping her angered orbs to her older friend. The princess once again had her face changed though, as she peered endlessly into the blue bands on her wrists. Millikan's hand stretched forward in order to gain the princess' attention, but the touch never reached. Tikal's feet brought her to the edge of the rock she was standing on, and another touch sent her over head.

She dipped into the clear water, being able to see all the way down to the lake's bottom. It was like an entirely different world. And, it reminded her. Of that day at the cove, where she and Shadow went. How he told her to hide and, she being herself, woefully disobeyed. The thought made her chuckle. Maybe she wasn't as holy as she thought. Maybe she was always a liar. Maybe she was always destined to be this way. Someone who disobeyed, because she could only do what was right.

The noise of rushing water echoed again, as another body entered the clear body. Tikal pulled up, her head poked through the lake's surface, and she gazed forward. A moment later, she was joined by Millikan. The blacksmith's daughter lowered an eyebrow at the princess, as her annoyance started to boil.

"Hey!" she yelled, "I wanna know! What went on between you and the Starman..."

As they swam lazily on the lake's surface, the echidna cocked her head in thought. She really wasn't ready to talk about her relationship with the Starman, and when it comes to Millikan, maybe that was for the best. The little fox's heart may have been in the right place, but her mouth surely wasn't.

"Fine then... don't talk..." Millikan said, pouting her lip, "But you know you'll have to explain sooner or later! Everyone can't wait to hear what happened at that canyon. Ticab said the place was shaking down toe the ground when he and the groups went there," she suddenly started gushing with giddiness and excitement, "I just can't wait to hear it!"

And you know what, Tikal smiled. It was, possibly, the first natural smile she had this entire morning. Millikan always had that ability, it seemed.

The fox swam away some time later, her cleaning in the fall's clear water finished, leaving the princess alone once more. Though she were gone, Millikan's question still lay in the Tikal's mind. They made her question herself, honestly. Would she ever tell of her relationship with the Starman? There would be scrutiny, there was no denying that. Not to mention if she told of their illicit night affairs as well. And that's not including what her father would say. Oh, her father.

"Princess!"

She froze up immediately, ducking down in the calm waters to cover her body. Blue eyes glancing over, she saw a ruby echidna peering down at her. Ticab's violet eyes peered down to the echidna, as a smile grew on his lips. To be honest, the thought of being seen naked by anyone's eyes, other than the Starman's, made the princess feel a bit embarrassed. And this showed thanks to the blush growing on her face. Maybe his words that day, about how clothing was mandatory in the future, held some bearings in the woman's mind. Ticab seemed to not notice, however.

"Princess!" he called again, nearing the lake's edge, "I came to talk to you!"

"And why's that..." she answered, arms covering her chest, as she continued to stare in the distant, "Ticab?"

"You were friends with the Starman, right?"

Did everyone know that? It was like she was trying to keep secret common knowledge now.

"Yes well... I was his... _caretaker_..." she answered, trying to force this facade.

"Well, I was wondering..." Ticab's demeanor suddenly became humble, as he crouched down near the lake's edge, "Did he ever teach you that thing, huh? You know, that thing he does when he crouches down, and spins real, real, fast!"

"The... Spin Dash?" she answered, wondering if that was what he spoke of.

"Yes! Yes!" he said so giddily, matching his adoptive sister in style, "Yeah! That's what I want to know how to do! Did... did he teach you how to do it...?"

Tikal smiled.

…

"Uh... Could you run that by me again?"

Tikal sighed at Ticab's question. It felt like they were doing this for hours. In fact, they were doing this for hours, for night had already fallen. The only signs of day, were the remnants of red, that lied in the sky. Other than that, the stars were on full shine this evening. And they were wonderful.

In this random field, outside Cielo Isla, Tikal and a group of echidnas with Ticab at the front, were practicing. No matter how many times the orange furred guardian showed them, the men just couldn't get it. The sight of it made Tikal laugh.

"Its easy!" she said, in a tone that was near belittling, "Just... kick your feet up. They'll help you get the inertia to start."

"Ugh... What is inertia!?" Ticab yelled, growing frustrated, "Is it something you eat?"

"Ticab..." Tikal answered, growing frank, "You know what inertia is, stop acting stupid... Now..."

She crouched down again, feeling it was best to give the men another demonstration. In her ears, she could hear the Starman's voice telling her what it was she needed to do. She kicked her feet up, grabbed herself, then started to spin in place. Over and over again, faster and faster, with grass and dirt being thrown skyward. She felt the world melt away around her, as the momentum she gained sent her body on a trip.

Then she launched herself forward. Her skills were quite on par with the hedgehog's when it came to this technique, but it was still bounds and leaps beyond everyone else's. It was like gliding, honestly, save it was only on the ground. She could still feel the air hit her, as she moved so fast, it was impossible to tell who, or what, she was. But like all things, it had to come to a stop. But hers was premature.

She crashed into something, something that wouldn't budge. When she fell back as she rubbed her head, she noticed all the people she was teaching to spin, were standing tall. Immediately, she brought her eyes up to meet who she crashed in.

First she saw armor, which made her tense, but then she saw the face. Bicab gazed back, this warm smile on his lips, as his heavy hand reached forward to grab hers. He helped her to her feet slowly, and upon doing so, he showed that many people were behind him. One of which, his wife, who looked only like a womanly version of Ticab. Millikan walked up behind her a moment later, this smile on her lips, as she held this weird metallic device.

"Ooooooh, I can't wait!" she announced, prancing behind Tikal as she did so.

The princess cocked her head at the sight, before turning back to Bicab. He merely shrugged his shoulders, as his face grew frank.

"It's called a fire tosser..." he said, answering her question already, "But Millikan calls it a-"

"FLAME THROWER!" she said for him.

Tikal turned around, and watched as Millikan pointed the muzzle of this object to the ground. With her smile growing bigger, and with her finger itching on the trigger of the object in her hand, she suddenly made the machine spew forth flames. It doused a specific patch in the earth in front of her, before stopping immediately. Now, as the fire cackled, the fox pulled the item to her chest, as she hugged it tightly. Bicab swiped it from her arms a moment later, before his finger made a 'come hither' motion toward Tikal. Taking the sign, she stepped forward, and stood beside him.

"We're all dying to know what happened there, Tikal..." he whispered, "Everyone wants to know..."

And when he said everyone, he meant everyone. It appeared as if the entire city were here, their eyes locked firmly on her. Only one person was absent, a sight which made Tikal's heart waver. Pachacamac wasn't there.

Suddenly, Bicab dropped the Starman's cloak and helm into the princess' arms. Tikal was taken aback, as she wasn't expecting this. She didn't notice him walk up with this in his arms. Regardless of this or not, these people were expecting something of her, something she really couldn't wait to explain. She sat down behind the flames, her arms cradled the items in her hands, and everyone in Cielo Isla moved in a bit closer. She just stared at them with her blue gaze, wondering what to say, and how to begin. Then it hit her.

"The Starman was just that..." she began, "A man. He was no gift from the gods... or a god himself... He was just a fellow, who had a very bad day. The circumstances of his arrival weren't spectacular, or the strings pulled by some super natural being, it was just a mistake. A... _wonderful_ mistake... I don't know who the Starman is, nor will I try to lie to say I think I know, but I do know he's amazing. He was able to do things no being was able to do. It seemed as if time and space, were nothing to him, but words. I had watched him, leaped through the air and vanish, in a bright light, only to appear right beside me. I watched, as weapons made of pure light, formed in his finger tips, to strike down his foes. I saw him, fly through the air, as flames sprouted from his feet, taking him high into the sky. But he was still a man. He looked cold, and aloof, and in many ways, appeared to be a demon, but he wasn't. He had emotions, he could feel, he could..._ love_... He just didn't want to show it. He felt as these things were a weakness, and I can see why but... When he actually fought with some feeling, when he had something inside of him, pushing him forward, whether it was the will to live, or the will to _protect_, I saw good. I stared in the face of death, I saw the stairway to the heavens and... The Starman brought me back. And when he did, I saw him take this form. His body, was golden, his eyes, burning with this intensity I had never seen before. And the Emeralds. The Chaos Emeralds, those items in which we seek safety in, sought safety in _him._ They listened to him, obeyed his whim. Chaos was nothing to him, but a tool, a tool to meet out justice, and punishment amongst those who wished evil and harm. But that was not all. It seemed all the Starman could do, was gain power. I watched as he fought a god. Yes, the Starman, a man, fought a _god_. When I was in the canyon, the people who kidnapped me, performed this maddening ritual, where they summoned the god of so much echidna lore. They summoned Enerjak..."

There was gasps, and groans, amongst the crowds. It seemed that many didn't believe her, but she didn't care. She knew what she saw. Staring down, however, she saw many who were on the edge of their seats, specifically the blacksmith's family. It made her smile.

"Yes... Enerjak," she continued, "I didn't believe it myself. I thought he only a legend, a bedtime story we tell our children, to sprinkle their dreams. But Enerjak was real. And I say, _was_. He was every bit as powerful as we believed he be. Able to summon powers we would never, ever, understand. He was cloaked in gold, and his body was hard as diamond, able to withstand attacks which would make any normal man crumble. And the Starman fought him. Despite the fact that he was horribly outperformed, despite the fact that he was a man fighting a god, he fought him. He used every ounce of his strength to take down that, which could not be taken down. And he did so without a second thought. Because... That's just who the Starman was. A hero, who would gladly sacrifice himself, who would gladly sacrifice his happiness..." she, started crying, "Just to make sure the world continued spinning. He was a man whose duty wasn't to one race or one people, his duty was to the world. And he would gladly give himself up for that duty..." she quieted down then, as she rubbed her wailing orbs, "And he did so with deadly efficiency. Enerjak crushed his body, damaged him so much, but the Starman would not give in. He called to the powers of the Emeralds, and became a star. The Starman became a _star_. The Emeralds grew in size, as they worked in conjunction with the Master Emerald, to give the Starman the power he so rightfully deserved. And when the Starman gained that strength, when he took to the skies, he appeared to be a star in our planet's atmosphere. And when Enerjak struck him, it did nothing. When Enerjak fired blasts into him, attacked him in anyway imaginable, it did nothing to the Starman. Despite all the strength the god had, it was absolutely nothing to the Starman's true power. The Straman's _ultimate_ power. He crushed Enerjak under his shoes, and despite only being a man, he punished a god. I watched as the Emeralds listened to his whim, how the Emeralds _obeyed_ him. How they destroyed Enerjak. How they saved us all. And it was amazing. I watched the stars themselves, bring judgment upon a supposed god. So... maybe the Starman _wasn't _a man. No... the Starman was a hero. A hero who I..." she just couldn't finish it.

Silence took over. No one said anything, they just stared at her. Tikal's eyes closed shut, as she unconsciously increased her grasp on the Starman's helm.

"Shadow..." she whispered.

Her shoulder felt a hand fall upon it, something that made her jump up. Staring skyward, she saw Bicab staring back, and smiling.

"There's more to this than you let on, Tikal..." he whispered, so no one could hear, "You helped in that battle, didn't you?"

"I gave him a chance..." she answered, "And he gave me hope..." her feet suddenly brought her up, and she stood tall, "I'm sorry, Bicab. I need to be alone..."

He didn't say a word, he just nodded and smiled. Her feet brought her farther and farther away then, taking her down a predestined path toward the Emerald's Altar. She didn't pay attention to the many people she passed, nor did she pay attention to the tears dragging down her cheeks.

…

She knew the answers to his feeling all along, she was just being to ignorant about them. Damn did she hate Shadow the hedgehog, and his mysterious ways. She knew now, that as much as she was hurting, _he_ was hurting. Probably more than she ever could believe.

Her hands held tighter the helmet and cloak in her hands. Farther and farther down the bridge she trekked, until she arrived to the greatest friend she ever had.

"Chaos..." she said, woefully.

One of the Emerald's ponds began to quake and ripple, until green eyes poked up. Chaos looked at her long and hard at first, before he arose form the puddle. His aquatic limbs stretched forward a moment later, then wrapped themselves around her. Though the hug was cold and wet, it was possibly the greatest thing that could happen to her right now. So calming, it was.

"I'm tired, Chaos..."

He stared at her, where his body produced a response. She giggled lightly, smiled, and nodded, until her blue eyes peered back into his green ones.

"I have been through a lot, haven't I?"

She stepped up the Master Emerald stairs a few seconds later, her blue eyes forever trained on the stars over head. Once she arrived to the Master Emerald itself, she raised and laid the Starman's helmet and cloak on the great green rock.

Maybe they gave too much respect to the great Emerald. It was just a rock, after all. Or maybe her mind was being blasphemous again. That sounded like a good answer too. Whatever the case was, things were looking quite, _bright_, this evening. Tikal looked down to her blue band, and remembered the promise. Then she looked over to Chaos, who sat calmly beside her. And in unison, their eyes gazed up to the skies, watching the individual stars twinkle.

"He'll be back one day," she said, "And I'll be here... waiting for him..."

A shooting star struck by.

…

He collapsed onto the dusty roads. The sands and storms in this area were already raging, by the time he arrived. He peered left and right, his ebony arms blocking the raging sands, as his ruby eyes scanned the area. The tornado in this area wasn't as dangerous as last time, much to his liking. But that didn't matter.

His feet began moving. Looking around, he could see the damage caused from the fights. This place held up well though, even though super charged gods were waging a war here just a day or two ago. Lifting his hand, he revealed the green Emerald held within. He gripped it tightly, and it started shining. Turning up, he started looking for that which had the Emerald on the fritz. It was near. His ticket home.

He moved silently through the turbulent sands, his face growing hard with annoyance. Not even Mother Earth could hold him from his mission. He forced his feet through the growing sands, the Emerald shining brighter and brighter. The desert storms grew only greater, in some vain attempt to push him from his toes, but he wouldn't budge. With mighty groan, he forced himself harder, eventually meeting the stone doors of the temple before him.

He cared not for its fragility, as his open palm slammed on the door's hide. The door flew open behind, sending a crashing roar into the area within. With the winds at his back, his crimson orbs scanned the room for one specific vehicle. The darkness of the temple made it hard, but not impossible. Just by raising the Emerald he held in hand, it gave life to the darkened atmosphere. He peered up and to the statues of various Black Arms, before finding that which he had searched for all this time.

His metal bird.

The hedgehog made his way over to the machine's cockpit, where he found it, to be left just as it was before. Sure, it was dented and crushed in some areas, but you try falling from the skies and survive. Regardless of the planes position, he flipped open the cockpit, and leaped on in. Raising the green Emerald in hand, he eyed id closely. It shined back.

He peered forward, where his ruby eyes found a small indent in the center of the cockpit's dashboard. Face growing serious, the hedgehog slid the Emerald into the little pocket. The Emerald shined brighter.

The hedgehog felt the ship he was in begin to shake, as things grew to a close. Lines started to spread from the small indent, as the Chaos Emerald filled the ship with power. The entire time traveling venture was soon to be over. He could go home, and sleep like he never slept before. But his dreams would be plagued, he knew that. Plagued by a specific orange woman.

And a promise he was going to keep, no matter what.

"It's time to go home..." he whispered, "CHAOS CONTROL!"

The Emerald began shaking, as Chaos sprouted from it in the form of electricity. The hedgehog growled, as the ship he was in started to fly, despite its poor condition. All around it, the pieces that were torn apart, came together, making the ship whole once more. And once it was whole, it was time. Time to go home.

The great metal bird of the Starman vanished a second later. Leaving time as it was without him.

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Another chapter down, making the ending come in sight. I'm psyched, I know you can tell. But I'm sure a lot of you are getting sad. The comments are telling me. So, let me talk some more. Maybe that'll lighten the mood._

_This chapter was primarily so I could give a sign off. A sign off to the past, ya'know. This'll be the last chapter that takes place in the past, so I wanted to say goodbye. Goodbye Chaos, goodbye Ticab, goodbye Millikan, goodbye Bicab. And yes, goodbye to you too, Pachacamac. I primarily wanted to say goodbye to the characters I created for this little fic. When I usually read fanfics, I hate original characters. They come off as annoying, and take up the plot. I'm here to read about Sonic and Shadow, not this douche who can solve all the problems. And they always get, like, super insane powers. Like, I can name a million stories that make it that Shadow wasn't the only person made on the Ark. And guess whose the man character of the story? Yup, that fan character. I don't care though, I just wanna see Shadow punch things. Now, that's not to say all fan characters or original characters suck, I just think they are really hard to pull off without becoming obnoxious or annoying. If you wanna make your own characters, do so, place them in their own universe where things fit better. Don't force them with Sonic when they can stand on their own. The universe thus becomes a crutch, one to show how awesome your character is, not how great the story is as a whole. But now I digress._

_When I started this, I wasn't originally going to use OCs. But it gets real hard to get a story moving along. So I had to quickly think some characters so I can get this story going. So, I made Ticab, then Millikan, then Bicab, and finally Akna. What I was suspecting, were for these characters to just fade away with their chapter. But to my surprise, you guys actually liked them. Especially Millikan. I was surprised, and so, I made them, especially her, pop up more. But I tried to keep them just side characters, like they were. The only ones that play important roles were Akna, obviously, and Bicab, sort of. He's more the voice of reason, if you ask me. I needed him to fill that important wise older man role, sense Pachacamac's kind of a dick. My favorite character of my own design in this, is of course Akna, and from what I see, you guys like her too. I believe musicalocelot called her awesome, and from that, I just ran with it. My favorite part about Akna, is the fact that she's Tikal's mother. Let's be serious, who else, other than me, will ever get this in-depth with Tikal's family? I'm not saying its never been done before, or it never will again, but I am saying its rare. It's easy to screw up Shadow's past, let's mess with Tikal's lineage a bit. It's... original, dare I say._

_Okay, I guess I'm done here. I wish I had something wity to say, but... I feel kind of disheartened. I know the end is soon, because I'm going to write it. And you know, I feel kind of sad. I've never felt sad finishing a story before, honestly. Well, not since Shadows of Hope, you know. Boy. If I feel this way, you guys must feel sad too._

_But, hey, sadness can be good or bad. Depending on how you look at it._

_Goodbye Cielo Isla. We knew you well._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	31. Waiting

Waiting

Her teal eyes fluttered open and close. Her slender arm, moved up to her chest plate, as she gripped the very edge of the heart-shaped piece. She wasn't sure if everything was happening correctly, or if things had gone wrong. So horribly wrong. She brought her eyes over for a brief moment, her eyesight stealing glances at the cold robot near her. His red optics were forever trained on the screen at hand, his mind surely processing what he was looking at. Everyone just stared in silent awe, as the screen fed back absolutely nothing.

Just silence. Thunderous silence.

"What...?" the sultry bat in the skin-tight body suit said at first, "Just... What am I looking at...?"

Her voice was constantly loosing itself, while this creeping suspense started to drag up her body. Those dark wings of hers ceased their fluttering, as her feet constantly brought her forward, only to move back. She wanted so badly to start running, but running where? Just what was the screen showing, and was it correct?

She finally got the strength to gaze around the room. The half domed shape of the area, with computer screens on all the desks, was as silent as she was. None of the soldiers within the room said a word, nor did they make any moves. They just all, in unison, stared at the screen. The map on said screen, just only showed that, a map. Not one thing that was so specific. Not _him_.

And it made her angry.

She scanned the silence, and this only served to fuel her rage. No one was doing anything. Why was no one doing anything?

"What are you all waiting for!?" she suddenly yelled, her wings taking her skyward, "What did you do to Shadow!?"

One of the scientists in the room gazed at her. Through his heavy glasses, he tried his hardest to soothe her, though his frantic face belied his true feelings.

"N-now, now, Rouge," he stuttered, "He's only been gone for a second now-"

"Try a minute!" she snapped, "He's been gone for one whole minute!" she then turned around, gazing at everyone else in the room, "And you all have just been standing here!"

She didn't know why she was getting so worked up. Maybe it was all in her head, and things were alright. Maybe his tracking device just malfunctioned, and he was flying safely. Maybe she was just overreacting, she he was actually flying calmly over the ocean waves, getting the feel of the prototype in his hands. Or maybe she was just trying to trick herself.

"Do something!" she ordered, "Call him! Go send a search party! Don't just stand there!"

"Rouge, we can't do anything!" another scientist called, "We just have to wait!"

"Wait for what!?" she yelled, not believing his words, "Look at it!"

Her finger pointed to the screen. The object, the bright orange one that showed his position, was none there. It just, poofed, disappeared, ceased to exist. As if it were never there in the first place. The sight of it made the bat's face contort into such an unhappy, such an angry, visage. She didn't know what was worse, the fact that he was gone, or the fact that no one was doing anything about it.

"Just give it another minute..." someone said, "He'll pop up..."

Silence. She continued hovering in the air, her wings flapping slowly, her teal eyes forever trained on the screen, as the hope of life slithered into her mind. Once again, she grabbed her chest, praying that he would appear. The hope was what kept her from going wild.

The clock continued clicking. Seconds blended into other seconds, as the time was coming to a close. Their eyes remained trained on the screen before them, scanning every angle, every line, of the mountain ridge he was last spotted at. When would it end? It looked as if this minute would go on forever. But no, only twenty-seven seconds had elapsed, with more passing by. Thirty-four now, the bat felt her heart beat increase. Forty seconds now, her fingers balled up into a fist. Fifty-two seconds, she bit her lip. Sixty seconds. Nothing.

"Do something!" she yelled, turning around to face her subordinates.

Not one made a move, and this served to increase her rage. She raised her hand, prepared to strike down anything that stood out to her, when a cold claw gripped her leg. She turned down, faced the one responsible for it, where her teal eyes met a robot's cold red optics.

"Omega, let go!" she commanded.

He made no answer, instead pointing to the screen to show his point. Rouge cocked her head in confusion, before moving that teal gaze of hers over to the map. She gasped.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Over and over again, as if nothing happened. This vibrant, orange dot, showing a certain position on the screen, lay directly over the mountainous region before them. And beep beep beep, it did, as if it were always there. As if it didn't just disappear, terrifying everyone who stared at it.

Everyone was so baffled by the sudden reappearance, they didn't make a single move. That was until a certain call, echoed through the screen.

"Shadow the hedgehog to G.U.N. Base," his cold, aloof voice echoed, "I repeat, Shadow the hedgehog to G.U.N. Base. The prototype is a no go. I repeat, the prototype is a no go. Hello? Anyone there?"

"Sh-Shadow...?" the bat whispered at first, her hand cupping the two-way radio mouth piece, "Shadow, this is Rouge! What happened!? Where did you go!? Are you okay!?"

Never before had she felt so scared or frantic. For a moment there, she thought that the ebony hedgehog she called friend, had actually died. But hearing his voice, so alive, it calmed her.

That was, by far, the most suspenseful _three_ minutes of her life.

"I'm going to need assistance, Rouge," Shadow added on, "The time prototype was a failure... I seem to have crashed somewhere in a mountainous region. And," they heard grunting, and an annoyed growl, "The Emerald won't snap out of the cockpit..."

It didn't take long for her sultry attitude to return. With a long close of her eyes, that sexy smirk of hers returned to her muzzle, while her fingers dragged through her silver locks.

"What's wrong, Shadow?" she purred into her radio piece, "You need Rouge's help?"

…

Had this been any other day, maybe his reaction would have been different. Maybe he would have scoffed, and given a cold reply, normally along the lines of 'Just get over here'. But he didn't. Instead, as he stood in this valley, gripping the radio of this, _metal bird_, as coy smirk appeared on his lips. Those flaming crimson orbs of his moved up to the sky a moment later, taking in the sights of the blue atmosphere, dancing with the white clouds.

"Just hurry up..." he said, his tone softer, and with a chuckle for addition.

He heard a gasp on the radio, causing his ears to twitch. There was some fumbling with the piece on the other end, as a confused mumble came from the bat on the other end.

"Shadow?" she finally answered, "Are you okay? You sound... _off_..."

"What?" he asked, his voice quickly returning to its cold and hardened self of old, "Do I sound off?"

"No, never mind..." she replied, sighing, "We're on our way, Shadow..."

His smile melted away, as his hand reached forward, to return the radio to its place in the jet. As it snapped in place, he took a few feet away from the silver vehicle. The wind was at his back, rushing through his fur and quills, making them bounce individually. The hedgehog sucked in as much of this air as he could, enjoying the smooth clean taste it gave him.

Then he released it, this pleasurable huff leaving his lips. For a change, he wasn't tense, wasn't prepared, for something to pop up. He was purely calm, able to enjoy what had been given him on this wonderful day. He sat down, then leaned his back up against his jet. Right now, his mind was playing the images that lead up to this event. How the top scientists of G.U.N. came to him, with their newest invention. How they said, with this plane alone, he would be able to control time. How it would open the way up for newer combat weapons in the air. And how all he had to do, was test it out. The failure that occurred. And the _wonderful_ mistake, that happened next.

Yes, a wonderful mistake. The hedgehog couldn't help but to wonder what would have happened, had he not been sent to the past, had he not screwed up the time jet. Would time have been the same? Would the universe just fill his spot in with something else? Or was it destiny for him to go back in time? Was it fate, that he met a certain princess, stopped a god, saved the world _again_, and fell in love?

Fell in love?

The smile on his muzzle faded almost immediately, when he thought of a certain echidna. He didn't get angry or anything, he just frowned, as his arms crossed over one another. Closing his eyes, all he could think about, was her. That smile he got to see of hers so rarely, the many mysteries she held for such a woman, how soft she felt when he touched her, the natural way she smelled, the feel of her lips along his, the taste of her tongue, as it slithered along his own.

Those eyes. Those big, blue eyes, that held so much emotion. Held so many secrets. Tikal was really a mysterious girl. She may have appeared to be a shining symbol of purity on the outside, but on the inside, she was just as hurt as he was. Just as broken. Just as alone.

He didn't want to leave her. He really didn't. It hurt him when he climbed out that window, and leaped to the roads below. And he hated it even more when he dashed off before she could see him. He couldn't bear the sight, couldn't bear the _feel_, of her eyes on him.

And what's worst, he couldn't stand the thought of his lie. Yes, that's what he did, he _lied_. He promised her he would see her again, he promised he would visit, someday. But someday, would never come. He always knew that. Because of that one vision. The day Cielo Isla fell.

She was dead now. He knew that. That's why he made that promise. He gave her hope, before she died. Before she sacrificed herself. That was the least he could do for her, since he wasn't allowed to directly interfere with her fate. At least, she didn't have to wait for him. Didn't have to wait for a lie. She could hold onto something, before Perfect Chaos took her. But he wasn't sure if he could forgive himself of his lie. Even if it was in the right place.

The air screamed with sound and wind. The ebony hedgehog peered up to the skies, seeing helicopters tear over head. He stood tall then, his arm raised to block out the sun rays, as his other hand created a light from Chaos Energy. In the dark ravine he lied in, it should have been easy to find him, as long as they searched for his light. They caught on quickly, landing on the side of the cliff's, as they prepared to retrieve him. Once again, he found his lips to curl into a small smile, as he slowly started to realize that he was home.

Ropes lined the sides of the ravine, as soldiers started to climb down, while a certain bat flew down with her own wings.

"Shadow!" she called, hand stretching out.

…

His ruby eyes danced along the screen in front of him.

_Station Square in Ruins!_ It said, as if it were the most urgent thing in the world. He peered deeply into the article's images, seeing a grand metropolis half-submerged in water. That day would go down in history, as one of the most terrifying days on all of the planet, probably beaten out by the Black Arms Wars. The hedgehog wasn't awake when it happened, but thanks to these articles, he could only imagine how it went. An aquatic god, powered by rage and vengeance, seeking retribution for that which happened four thousand years ago. It reminded him of himself, honestly, and his distorted promise to Maria.

The thought of the blonde angel made him turn away though. He growled with unhappiness, finding the thought to be unwanted, and unnecessary. His hand reaching forward, he grabbed his coffee mug, in order to free himself of these thoughts. The burning taste was a god send, and served to remind him of what he was missing in the past. After the reinvigorating drink, he shifted his ruby gaze back to the computer screen, in order to do some more studying. It spoke of how much damage was done, how large the death toll was, and how the world was save by a golden hedgehog.

Ugh. Oh, how Sonic irked him.

The door slid open, the sound of it made his ears twitch. He turned around to face his intruder, only for him to lay his eyes on the captivating sight of a sultry bat. Had it not been a sight he sees on a daily basis, maybe he would have been moved by the sight. But to him, all he could ask was,

"What are you doing here, Rouge?"

To be honest, it was a fruitless question. Rouge visiting him in his office was quite a common occurrence, though it did nothing to change his question. He crossed his arms, and shot his ally a glare, a sight she returned, with a sexy smile. The sight of it made him roll his eyes with annoyance, as he turned around in his chair, to stare once again into the computer screen. He heard Rouge get closer to him, but did nothing to deter her movements. He just continued staring forward.

"So," she called, as she snapped herself a can of soda, "What's going on, Shadow?"

The hedgehog's ears twitched, as he shot her glare out the corner of his eye.

"What are you talking about?" he asked with that usual coldness of his. Unfortunately, that coldness was nothing but a tone to Rouge, as she was so used to hearing it.

"C'mon, Shadow," she pressed, adding her sexy tone to it, "Tell me, what's going on? You know you gave us quite the scare earlier today..."

"Yeah... a _scare_..." he answered, clicking on some link.

"Yeah," he heard her reply, as she sat down on his desk, "Four three whole minutes, you disappeared. We thought something wrong..." her sexy tone suddenly diminished, "_I_ thought something was wrong..."

"Nothing was wrong..." he answered, glancing up at her, "I was fine..."

"Shadow, you can't lie to me..." she suddenly said, growing serious, "I can tell when something happened to you. Besides, looking at how tense you were moving today, how you kept locking up, I assume something happened to you..."

"I believe it's called, jet lag," he answered, flatly, "I think I got it from, ya'know, falling from the sky."

"Oh please," she responded, waving off his assessment, "You've fallen from the sky before, Shadow, stop acting like it's a big deal to you..."

He sighed to her response, before once again taking a sip of his hot java. She smiled at the sight, before her hand reached over to open the blinds of his office window. They slid apart with ease, revealing the dark metropolis of the city outside. Everything looked so beautiful, with the moonlight gazing upon the city, as the city's own lights stared back up. Unconsciously, she crossed her arms, as she shifted her body over, in order to get a better look at the city. After taking a sip of her soda, she found her eyes moving up to meet the stars. Despite the city's usual bright atmosphere, the metropolis did little to diminish the stars beauty. It made her smile.

"Hey Shadow," she called, making the hedgehog grunt, to show he was listening, "Have you ever heard of, the Starman."

She heard him stop clicking on his keyboard, meaning she had his attention. The thought of it made her smile, as she scooted herself closer to the window. Eyes still trained on the diamonds overhead, she continued.

"It was a story my father used to tell me," she smiled, "He used to say that, every star in the sky was a soul, and that the Starman was sent to watch over them all. Each star held a corresponding soul on the planet, whether they be good, or bad. It didn't matter to the Starman, he just watched them all. But he couldn't stand evil. If there was one thing the Starman hated, it was evil. He would judge the stars he watched over, scanned the souls they represented. And when he found a being to be evil, the Starman would fly down to the earth, to judge that soul accordingly. He was a hard judge, but a kind one. No one could tell though, because he always had this mask on. I remembered, my favorite story ever, was one when the Starman fought this evil god, and how he saved the world. But that's not all. They say the Starman fell in love with some priestess, one he knew on the planet. They say that, one day, he had to return to the stars, and he promised that priestess he would some day return. Every night, that priestess would stare into the heavens, and wait for her beloved to fall from the stars, just as he did the first time they met. But he never returned."

Then the bat laughed. She continued laughing to, finding the entire situation absurd and childish.

"Yeah right," she suddenly said, "A man beating a god. That's so impossible. But it made for good stories when I was a child... Hm... How 'bout you," she suddenly turned to Shadow, only for her to see the face of death staring back. He looked completely unhappy with her words, and the sight of it made her freeze up in fear. "Sh-Shadow...?" she whispered.

"Get out..." he ordered.

"Shadow, what's gotten into you?" she asked, frantically.

Suddenly, his hand reached forward, grabbing a hold of her arm tightly. She winced in pain, as his hand did nothing but increase the hold on her. She stared down to the grasp, before staring back up to the hedgehog before her. That terrifying face had not faded away, in fact, it increased. It made the bat fear for her life, to be honest.

"I said..." he said so slowly, each word sounding just as violent as the last, "Get... Out..."

Then he let go. His position stayed dangerously close to hers though, and his eyes remained forever on her. She found her feet moving then, though it wasn't by her own fruition. It seemed as if this fear was driving her, instead of common sense. Though she wanted to stay, and ask him what had gotten into him, the fear driving her won out. She found herself panting, and her chest thumping up and down, before her back leaned up against his door. He never moved that sight from her, however, for his ruby eyes were forever trained on her position. And right now, in the darkness of his office, he looked like a demon. Especially, because of those violent, crimson eyes.

She slipped out without a second thought, the door clicking close behind her.

The hedgehog kept his eyes trained on the door for another two or three minutes. He didn't even make a noise. He just peered endlessly into the doorway that exited his office. For a while, the only noise that echoed within, were the clicks of his clock, and the subtle whirring of his ceiling fan. All these things combined made his fists tighten. The noise of his cracking bones eventually mixed into everything else.

And next, his growls. His eyebrows bent inwardly, as his rage started to crescent and boil. He wanted so desperately to destroy something. But why? Who was he mad at, Rouge? She had done nothing, and he knew that. She was just telling a story, a story she didn't know held Shadow. A story directly inspired by Shadow, in fact. Maybe he should have went outside, and told her the truth, told her what happened to her, and how the time jet brought him back through time. How he spent a month in the past, falling in love with a nubile princess. How he saved the world, before he even existed. How he left someone.

How he made a promise he never intended on keeping.

The hedgehog didn't know what was worst, the fact that he had told a lie, or the fact that he made a broken promise. It made him, for lack of better words, hate himself. Never before had he made a promise, and failed to live up to it. Whenever he promised something, he was going to keep it. That's what he did. But he just couldn't, not with _her_. She deserved so much more than what he was giving her. He deserved someone else, he felt.

So, he fell back, and sat down in his chair. Growling, he face palmed himself, as his visage grew harder than ever before. He was so angry.

_Just love her..._ he heard a powerful woman echidna say into his ears, _And she will wait for you..._

Akna's words were now thousands of years old, but he felt as if they were being said to him for the first time, right now. This made things only worst for him, for one statement from Akna, gave way to another.

_Tell me,_ Akna's voice whispered once more, _Knowing what you know now... do you still love her?_

And what did he answer with? Just a simple, slow nod. And that's exactly what he did. Just a simple, slow nod.

_Good... She needs your love. She needs you. She won't be strong anymore, without it. She always needed that thing to fight for, that thing that gave her strength._

Maybe he needed to visit a psychiatrist. As much as he hated those people, he really felt as if his mind was playing cruel tricks on him. Tikal was dead, just like Maria. There was no bringing either of them back. He just needed to remember that.

_Just love her... And she will wait for you..._

_Wait for you..._

_ Wait for you..._

The Master Emerald.

The hedgehog's crimson eyes snapped open. Feet struggling, he suddenly leaped up from the chair he sat in. He constantly moved his eyes to and fro, trying his hardest to settling the thumping in his chest.

_Wait for you..._

_ Wait for you..._

He made a promise. He said to her, he'll come back. Because what they held, was an Immortal Bond. She wasn't dead. As hard as it was to believe. She was waiting. Waiting for him. Waiting for him to come back. She said goodbye, and he said see ya later.

He was going to honor that promise, even if it were impossible. He could at least try. At most. Well, at most. He didn't know.

His hand found a slot on his desk. He pulled it out, revealing his trusted pistol, and his oh so coveted, green Chaos Emerald. Grabbing the rock, he focused on the light and warmth it was giving off. Then his eyes closed. He thought, harder and harder, before his destination came to mind.

"Chaos Control..." he whispered.

Then he vanished, into thin air.

…

The cold night was always something he disliked. Up here, on this island, all alone, it was the same, day after day, night after night. His arms were crossed over one another, that red echidna was, while his purple eyes were closed shut. And nights were always the worst. Silent, with this cold rustle of wind, it always cemented the fact that he was alone, in his mind. Even the brilliance of the Master Emerald couldn't calm him right now. Oh what he wouldn't give for something to happen.

There was a rustle in the grass. Almost immediately, he wanted to take back what he said.

He leaped up to his feet in an instant, his heavy fists raised up high. This threatening growl exited his lips, as his feet took him down the brown brick flooring of the Emerald Altar. He remained alert to his surroundings, even though the sound had long since passed. Things may have sounded silent, but he knew better. He knew that person was still here. And from the sound of the stealthy moves this person employed, it could only be one person.

"ROUGE!" he roared, shaking his fists, "I am so not in the mood for you tonight!"

He slammed his feet on the ground, causing a quake to trigger, showing just where he lay in his position. Purple eyes combing the fields, he waited for that sultry bat to pop up. To his surprise, she never did. Instead, he saw a hedgehog with glowing red eyes. Immediately, he stepped back, as his fists lowered down.

"Shadow...?" he called.

The hedgehog stepped forward, eventually making his way into the glow of the Master Emerald. His face was so calm and indifferent, as he peered directly into Knuckles. The echidna cocked his head to meet the hedgehog's sight, for it was truly a surprise that he was here.

Then Shadow took a step forward. And even though the echidna never counted the hedgehog as one of his foes, he wasn't going to allow him to just stroll on up to the Master Emerald. Not without a fight, of course. He rose his fists, and stepped in the direct path of Shadow. If the hedgehog had been acting normal today, then he would have surely stricken down the echidna where he stood. But he didn't. He just stopped still, while training his eyes on Knuckles' purple ones.

"What's up, Shadow..." he asked, dauntingly.

The hedgehog increased his eyes on Knuckles sight, before those orbs of his started to quiver. The echidna couldn't believe he was seeing this.

"Uh... Shadow... Are you alright?" he asked, fists lowering once again.

"I need to talk to the Master Emerald, Knuckles..." the hedgehog answered.

"What?" Knuckles asked, understandably confused, "Talk to the Master Emerald? Shadow, did you hit your head or something? Only I can talk to the Master Emerald."

"I just... need to, Knuckles..." he responded, making his position known.

So confused, the echidna was. He didn't know how to put his finger on Shadow's words, but to if he could, he would say the hedgehog sounded sincere. Free of all that anger and cruelty that usually filled the voice. He sounded so, resolute, to put it lightly.

"Shadow... I don't understand..." he whispered.

"Now do you have too..." the hedgehog responded, "Just let me talk to the Master Emerald. I'll protect it if something happens to it, just let me do this..."

Maybe it was Shadow's reputation, but the echidna never knew the hedgehog to lie. If he said he was going to do something, then he was going to do it, no matter what. Besides, from as far as he knew, the hedgehog wasn't on some long quest as of now. No one was. So, there was no immediate danger the Master Emerald was being placed in. Besides, he could get some treasure hunting in.

So, showing an act of kindness he was new to, he nodded. His feet brought him away from the altar steps, as his purple eyes aimed over the horizon. He didn't want to show he was being kind, seeing as his pride was to great for that, so he merely waved his hand to the hedgehog.

"But if you're lying to me," he said, suddenly shooting him a glare, "I will hunt you down, Shadow..."

"I'd have it no other way..." the hedgehog answered, shifting his gaze back up to the brilliant green rock.

He heard Knuckles leap and fly away, the wind taking him off where ever his heart wished. This was perfect for the hedgehog, as he really didn't want to show anyone what was going on. He started up the altar stairs, eventually arriving to the great Emerald's midst. He withdrew his trusted green Emerald then, laying it on the earth near the Master Emerald as he did so. Then his hand reached forward, and touched the hide of the powerful rock.

Silence. He didn't say anything, nor did he the rock say anything. He really felt like an idiot, honestly. Was he really going to try to talk to a rock? He didn't know how to go about things. If he spoke to it, would she speak back? Or would he just look like a crazy person. That's the last thing he needed to do, honestly. But how else was he going to get Tikal? Well, standing around doing nothing sure wasn't helping.

So, hands reaching forward, he laid them on the Master Emerald's hide. And he started focusing.

"Tikal..." he whispered at first.

He gained no answer. The pure silence made his chest heave up and down. So, eyes closing, he tried again, except he focused even harder.

"Tikal..." his lips let out.

The silence, was enough to kill him. There was so much suspense within him, wondering if she'll answer, or if this was all for not. So, eyes growing even tighter shut, he gave a low growl. His hands pressed harder on the Master Emerald's hide, as if this was helping him in any way.

"Tikal..." he called once more.

His fingers started to curl inward, as they remained on the Master Emerald's side. Still, nothing but silence. Pure, unadulterated, silence. It pissed him off.

The hedgehog pulled away from the Master Emerald suddenly. He stared angrily into the great green rock, finding the lack of words to be all its fault. He knew better, however. He knew that this was all his fault, and all his own. What was he suspecting? That she would wait _four thousand years_ for him? Did he really think, even for a moment, she would stay inside the Master Emerald, for that long? He wouldn't even stay inside of it for that long.

The fact that he let hope take over, pissed him off even more. He let his heart believe that she was still here, only for it to dash away all resemblance of happiness. Now he was angry. Angry with the Master Emerald, angry with Tikal, angry with the world, and most of all, angry with himself. He wished he never went back in time, and fulfilled his role of the Starman. He wished he never met the princess that was named Tikal. He wished he never heard Akna's words, pushing him along for this, setting him up for disappointment, and failure. Most of all, he wished he had never been given the gift of wholeness. He wished he remained alone forever, since that's all he knew how to act. Besides, that was his fate, after all. To be alone. _Forever_.

He crouched down, and grabbed the Emerald he placed on the ground. To his surprise, he found the ground to be stained with water, water that dropped from his eyes. He sniffled briefly, as his hand cleaned the tear that lay on his face. It was time to go home.

He turned around. On Angel Island, it was hard to tell where the earth ended, and the heavens began. He wanted to have no part in this. So, raising his coveted Chaos Emerald, the hedgehog was prepared to utter those words which would send him home. But he didn't. Something stopped him.

"You came back to me..."

* * *

_Maverick Talks!_

_Boy oh boy, this chapter. What can I say? Seriously, what can I say? I guess I can say some trivia and stuff._

_So yeah... This chapter... believe it or not, in my original idea, this was going to be the last chapter. This was going to be the last chapter. You know what that means? I would have ended all ambigiously and stuff. I was going to ask all of you if you wanted another chapter, much like what I did with Shadows of Hope, but I knew the answer would be a resounding yes. So don't worry, I'll make another chapter, one that actually, ya'know, isn't so cliff hangery. And that will be the last chapter. Yup, next chapter, the last chapter._

_So yeah, this ending. I'm the kind of guy who enjoys things like this. I'm not sure why, it just feels so perfect, like, you decide how it ends. Do you feel the same way? Probably not. I guess I just enjoy being cruel and what not._

_Anyway, it felt real good to return to the future. Just mention Rouge, Omega, and Knuckes in a cameo apperance, if that's what you want to call it. Funny how Shadow was in the past for a month, while only three minutes had passed in modern time. Time travel is a fical thing, ain't it?_

_I wish I could say more, but with the last chapter being next, I'm going to save all my talking for that one. What is going to be in that chapter you ask? Well, that thing every couple must go through._

_A nice date, for Miss Tikal. But of course, not the way you suspect. Cause, you guys know how I love to write things._

_My Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 Team? Ghost Rider, Felicia, and Vergil. I wish I had a witty name for them, but I really don't._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


	32. A Date With Miss Tikal

A Date With Miss Tikal

He turned and faced the great Emerald quickly. At first, all he saw, was his own reflection in the Emerald's hide. He was completely unsure if he actually heard the call, or if his mind was just playing a horrible joke on him. His feet brought him toward the Master Emerald, where he lay his hands on it once more.

"T-Tikal...?" he stuttered, eyebrow raising.

The Emerald remained silent for another minute or two, before an answer was finally given.

"You came back to me..." her voice, so calming like an angel, echoed through the air ways.

The wind picked up, blowing a gust in his direction. It did little to burden his stance, for he remained tall in the sight of the Master Emerald, and the call of a certain princess. He felt the individual furs on his body quiver, as his quills bounced from the gale. His fingers only tightened against the Emerald, however, slowly curling inward, as he played her words over and over again within his mind. He didn't know what to do, other than stare doe eyed into the great rock.

Just, where did things move on from now? Or, better question, could he get her to say anything else.

"Tikal... Is that... you...?" he was so slow, so broken in his words, as if he didn't believe what was going on, as if it were just _impossible_ to take in.

"Starman..." she whispered, faintly, confirming his question.

The hedgehog stepped back. He felt his heart freeze in his chest, as he clenched tightly his own chest. It got so hard to breathe right now, so near impossible. If he fell out right now, due to lack of breath, at least he could say there was a reason behind it. He truly didn't know how to react to what was being said to him. What next? That question was always being pondered, all the time in his head.

"Starman..." she whispered once again, sending tingles down his spine.

"Tikal..." he fell to his knees, and laid his head on the Emerald's side, "Tikal..."

His eyes closed tightly shut, as his forehead laid on the Emerald. He didn't know why, but he just felt like focusing was making him feel better. His hands were constantly increasing the grip they held on the great rock, as if he could pry out the answers from it. But in his mind, all he saw was green. Flashy green. And within that green, he saw something. A figure. A woman's figure. Said figure was shining a brilliant white, making it impossible to tell who it was. But he knew who it was. He knew all to well.

"Tikal..." he whispered.

"Starman..." she answered.

He watched, as that white figure reached out for him, and that made him leap back. Fingers moving up to his muzzle, he found tears to be dragging down his cheeks. He touched them, and watched as they dyed his glove a dark color. The sight of the teary substance, staining his glove, made him angry. He shook the tears away, before returning his ruby glare to the rock at his front.

Tikal's calls had faded away, making his heart drop. Once again, he stepped for the Master Emerald, laying his hands on the side of it.

"Tikal..."

"Starman... You came back to me..." her heavenly voice answered, "You actually came back to me..."

Her voice sounded like sweet music to his ears. Her calls, made his heart calm, despite the intensity he was feeling at first. He wanted to hear more of her voice, though this pit that swelled in his heart said other wise. He felt wrong, oh so wrong. He had left her here, and the sound of her voice made that known. He could feel the pain that seeped through her words, no matter how well she masked them.

But the pain, the pain was offset by, _happiness_.

"You came back to me..." she repeated, as if she couldn't believe her own words, "You _actually_ came back to me..."

The hedgehog didn't mount a reply, however. He just stared forward, gazing into the rocks brilliance. He didn't know how to go upon things. Should he talk to her, try to ask her how things were over the last _four thousand years_? Should he explain how, to him, it was nothing but a few seconds? Or should he just keep things to himself? Whatever the answer may be, standing around like this wasn't helping.

"Tikal..." he stated again.

"Are you... just going to stand there...?" Tikal asked, her voice just so hard to place a finger on.

He found his feet moving forward, bringing him up to the Emerald's midst once again. At the same time, that pit in his heart returned, screaming at him for reason he did not understand. In this warm touch, he started to caress the Emerald, low, unsure, groans escaping his lips. He felt as if he had cursed her to this existence, cursed her to sit inside an Emerald, for the rest of her days.

"Shadow..." she whispered, "Please... Stop..."

"No... I can't..." he answered, growling, "I... I can't believe what I did! I... I should've been there. I should have come back when... when..."

"You couldn't do anything about it, Shadow..." Tikal answered, her voice still hollow, "I had to do it... And only me..."

"But I could have done something!" he yelled out to the wind, "I... I left you there, I didn't come back! I..."

"Shh... Shadow..." she whispered, "Just... Be quiet..."

Suddenly, the Master Emerald began shaking. This great light spread out from it, swallowing the area whole in its brilliance. Shadow raised his hand to cover his eyes, fearful that his vision may be ruined. And then, he felt warm. He felt his body grow loose under this light, as the need to fall down took him. He remained standing, just as best he could. That was, until, a hand fell upon him.

"You can open your eyes now..." Tikal's voice called out to him.

His lids fluttered open, taking brief glances at what was around him. His blurred vision tried to make things right, but it would take a while. He first saw pillars, the aged brown and black pillars, that at one point in time held the Chaos Emeralds at their tops. Then, he saw the skies, the clean dark skies, with glowing white stars, dancing within them. After rubbing his eyes, the images focused themselves, showing that he was still standing in the Emerald Altar's midst.

And there was someone standing before him.

His fiery crimson orbs, peered long and hard into these clear cerulean eyes. He started looking up and down her figure next, taking in the sights of her orange dreads, the golden diamond encrusted band on her forehead, the golden necklace, that hung from her neck, the white tank top like shirt, that ended above her stomach, the green, red and white skirt, that was attached to her hips, and the white sandals. But, most of all, the blue bands around her wrists.

But there was something wrong with her. As he peered forward, into her body, he found his eyes to be actually peering _through_ her. He could see the Master Emerald, shining through her, as if she were a ghost. An _apparition_.

Tikal's hands reached forward, both of them. Her face was without emotion, however. Matching her movements, the hedgehog reached forth with his hands, grabbing a hold of hers. Their hands were now intertwined with one another, and they held tightly onto them. Shadow gazed down to the hands, finding them to be, oddly, filled with life, and warmth. The exact opposite of what he expected them to feel like.

He was further surprised, when he found Tikal's fingers to be moving. Each one of her digits, carefully moved, so they could be in between his own fingers. She increased the hold on him a moment later, her hands becoming near vice grips. The hedgehog didn't show pain though, even though the grip was hard enough to make a grown man cry. The most he did, to show a reply, was give a scowl. Then he gazed up.

Tikal's indifferent face was still there, though her eyebrows were moved in, and her blue eyes looked stormy. She briefly opened her mouth, showing fangs, as her intense grip grew even greater. He continued staring into her, especially her eyes. They looked so hurt, and so angry. And he could understand why.

"Why..." she whispered, her hand growing, "Why?"

He didn't answer her. That only made her angrier.

"WHY!?" she barked, forcing his ruby eyes to snap away. She didn't like that either, and her grip increased to near hand crushing proportions, making him look forward. Gazing into her eyes, he saw shining tears trickle down her transparent body, "Answer me! Shadow!"

Her command ruffled his quills, but did little to garner that which she wanted. Did he not know this would only increase the pain he was feeling? Maybe so, he just didn't care.

"You know how long I sat in there, Shadow!" she cried, "Do you know how long I waited!? Waited for you!? Day after day, month after month, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, millennium after millennium, I waited for you, Shadow the hedgehog," she grew frail, and her eyes closed, though the tears still spilled, "I watched as my people died out. On this floating island. Our customs, our traits, vanished, all save for one. I spent forever in the Emerald, unable to go anywhere, unable to leave. And I was so alone. Not even Chaos, with whom I was trapped with, could alleviate me of this pain this loneliness. He was so angry, so hurt, he never forgave me for what I did that day. I watched him, I watched Chaos' mind deteriorate with every day that passed, and I feared the same would happen to me. But I wouldn't allow it. You know why!?" that rage return, "Because of you! I waited for you! Waited, waited, waited! I hoped, I prayed, you would return. Every night, before I died, I stared to the stars. I dreamed, that you would fall out, just like you did the first time. I was hoping that, you would come to me, take my hand, and we would whisk off, leave the Knuckles Tribe behind, leave the Nocturnus Tribe behind, leave all of it behind. We would make our own tribe, we would be separate from all the other tribes, and their incessant squabbling. We would be the perfect symbol of how a tribe should be. Free of all this violence, but willing to protect others. It was a silly dream. Us, with children. But it was all I had, because I found myself loosing hope. And then... then Perfect Chaos happened. I must have been selfish. I could have done a million things that day," she started chuckling, but this was forced, "I could have... made Chaos disappear, or sent him somewhere else. But I didn't. I trapped us within that Emerald, trapped both of us. I thought I could have my friend back, since he was all I had left in the world. But that wasn't all. I thought I could finally meet you. I thought you would return, sooner or later. But of course, you never did. And I sat there... In that rock... Waiting, for you. I was given a chance to leave, too..." she gazed up to him, scanning his stoic and indifferent face, "When Sonic came. To save the world. When the Master Emerald was shattered, and I was finally freed. I could have left. I could have finally gone on to the afterlife, returned to the heavens on high. Sonic defeated Perfect Chaos, he saved the world, and I appeared before him in his friends. I wore this visage, this happy one, thinking that I could finally be free. Chaos and I would return to the heavens... _together_... But I didn't do it. I almost did it, I almost went on to the after life. I could have been with my family, and my people once again. But I just, couldn't do it," she once again increased the grip she held on him, "Because of you! All because of you! Every time I got the nerve, the thought, to head on up! I just thought about you! You and that promise! And how you _lied_! I thought you would appear, out of nowhere one day! But you just never did! YOU LIED!"

"NO I DID NOT!" he answered, his voice growing stronger than hers.

She grew quiet. Her lips closed, her stance loosened, and her grip grew tender. Unconsciously, the hedgehog sighed, thankful that her grip loosened. But his stare changed back into hardened glare, as his ruby eyes met her aqua ones.

"I didn't lie..." he whispered, "I came back for you..."

"Why did it take so long?" she asked, body growing frail, "Why did it take you so long to come back?"

She got a few feet closer. Despite the fact that she was still ghastly and see through, her body continued to give off heat and warmth, like a living person would. She wrapped her arms around him, and placed her face firmly in his furry white chest, her eyes closing while she sobbed with sadness. He found his hands wrapping around her back, pulling her closer to him. And then his eyes closed.

All he could think about, was her words, and how hurt she was. The hedgehog had been trapped for a measly fifty years, and he was enraged by that. But her? She was trapped for _four millenniums_. That easily made his sentence pale in comparison. The difference was, however, he wasn't waiting for someone. He was trapped, but she, she trapped herself. No. She didn't trap herself. _He trapped her_.

He. Trapped. Her. All with his words. All with his own promise.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered, an unwanted hiccup coming from him, "I... didn't mean too. I didn't _want_ to," he dragged his finger across his eyes, finding a tear leaking out, "Ever moment I spent, thinking about the fate I made you face. I felt worse, and worse. The thought of you, sacrificing yourself to stop Chaos. And how I wasn't allowed to do anything about it. It made me so..."

"You... You knew all along?" she whispered.

"Yes..." he answered, "I knew what you had to do. I didn't want it to happen to you, but I had to let it happen to you. I wanted so badly to bring you along with me, to take you to the future, so you wouldn't be alone. I should've saved you, though. I should have done what was right. I let you die..."

He started sobbing, an act which he never considered before. Maybe it was because, he was telling her the truth. The cold hard truth. And he could just tell it was tearing her up inside.

"I made the promise thinking that you were dead," he continued, "I knew how you were going die, fighting Chaos, sealing him up, and I thought that would have been it. I made the promise believing that... you could die... _happy._ But it didn't go as well as I thought. I heard... your mother, speaking to me. She made me remember. She reminded me that... you were waiting for me..."

Tikal pulled back, breaking their grasp, and finally allowing him to stare into her blue orbs. Just by staring at her, he could tell she was thinking about what he just told her. And if it was affecting him this bad, then he could only imagine how it was making her feel. Now he was in the spot light again. Now he was waiting for the reply, and was worrying if it was bad, or not.

"So you knew...?" she asked, though it was so silent, it appeared to be a whisper through the wind.

The hedgehog closed his eyes first. Then his arm moved up, and clean the tears from his eyes. This sigh came from him, a moment later, a sigh that set his emotions back to the coldness he was recognized for. And, to bring all this together, he crossed his arms. He just had to wait, wait for her reply. And he would accept it, even if it was bad. In fact, he'd rather it be bad. Because, he felt like, he deserved it.

"I forgive you..."

That was the exact opposite of what he was expecting. He thought she would attack him, yell at him, or finally ascend into heaven, without a word. Did she not hear what he just told her? Did she not hear how, he knew of her fate, and did nothing to stop it? Obviously she did. Why else would she make a reply like this? Then, if that were true, why? Why did she accept him, and his follies.

"Shadow... Starman..." she whispered, "I remember what you said to me. A phrase that, I kept with me for the longest time. What we have..." she chuckled, and smiled at him, "It's... an Immortal Bond..."

Then she kissed him. The hedgehog was taken off guard by the movement, when he suddenly felt her lips rumbling along his. He just stared into her, even though her eyes were closed. When he felt her lips press harder, he realized what she wanted. His hand grabbed her by his back, and pulled in her close, while his eyes closed shut. Opening his mouth, he finally allowed her tongue admittance to meet his.

And as their tongues danced with one another, he heard these tasty moans come from her. They pushed him forward, making him increase the grasp he held onto her. She moaned louder and longer from the touch, as her hands moved from his chest, and around his neck. It was funny, really. Even though she hadn't kissed in over thousands of years, and even though he was never the kisser in the beginning, the two were just so _perfect_ for one another.

Her eyes suddenly open, and sensing this, his eyes opened too. They still held on to one another, as they peered intensely into one another eyes. Her hand moved up to his face, and touched it tenderly. He didn't break his hard visage, as he just allowed her to do so.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered, "I just wanna make sure this isn't some... _nightmare_... I don't know if I can take anymore of them..."

"It's not..." he whispered, face moving forward, so their noses touch, "I wouldn't allow it to happen..."

"I hate you, Shadow the hedgehog..." she whispered, but with a smile, "You did something to me I can't explain. After all these years... I feel..."

"Whole... again...?" he answered for her.

"Yes..." she answered, "Whole again..."

Their close proximity broke away moments later, and Tikal's blue eyes pierced the air to him.

"Here..." she suddenly said, stretching forward her hand, "Let's go for a walk..."

"A walk?" he replied, his hand moving forward to touch hers

"Yes, a walk," she answered, smiling sweetly, "I think it's the least you can do for me..."

The comment made him smile.

"Yes..." he responded, their hands meeting in a loving bond, "The _least_ I could do for you..."

…

Their feet walked in perfect unison. The hold they had on one another was so very close. Their hands remained on one another, though she had gotten even closer. Her head lay on his shoulder, as her free hand held tightly onto his arm. The words they shared earlier belied the feelings they had now. His face was so hard, like usual, but it was hiding this pained visage. Her face seemed to show the pain and hurt, and though she forgave him, the pit still remained in her heart.

Maybe things happened to fast between them. Maybe they shouldn't have fallen so hard for each other, in such a short time period. But they did, and this is the fallout of their desires, their union, their trysts. Hurt feelings, and unsureness. It was hard to describe.

They were in this part of the island, where the treetops blinding their view of the stars. The moonlight still peered through the forest's holes, painting the forest walkway in gleams of silver, in contrast to the darkness. The sight of it all was breathtaking, and so was the silence. Not one animal toiled in the least bit, as their feet brought them through the dense greenery.

She yawned briefly, something she hadn't done in four millenniums now. He smiled at the sound, his hand raising to touch her forehead. The touch made her wilt, but not in a negative way. She enjoyed his hand on her, for even that was a enough love for her. When it moved, it didn't make her feel bad, instead, it made her move up to him closer.

Their feet eventually met a rocky path, one that snaked out of the forest they stood in. Tikal broke free from her dark lover briefly, in order to gaze down the path they were heading down. The fields the rocky path went down, were all bouncy and curvy. It was funny, for Tikal recognized this place. Long ago, her people populated the area, setting up tents and tending to the field. Looking at how empty it was, made her heart tremble a bit. Her hand clenched her chest, as this somber visage came to her face.

She suddenly felt Shadow's hand moved through her arms, grabbing her close once more. She gazed up at him, and he gazed back down. His finger then stretched forth, and dragged down the area, in between her eyes. The touch tickled her a bit, bringing an unwanted, but much-needed, smile to her lips. Once his finger moved, she stared up at him with this acted look, one that made him chuckle inwardly.

He started moving a few moments later, and she followed suit soon. Their feet brought them down the rocky pathway, moving through the hills and fields. She followed the many bounds and yards of the greenery, as this smile came to her lips. Right now, she started to forget her position. It wasn't until her eyes opened, and she saw straight through her arms, that she grimaced and remembered. Shadow must have sensed her displeasure, for the hedgehog hugged her tightly then. And it made her smile again.

Their feet brought them to a cave, where they stopped briefly. In unison, their ruby and aqua eyes lined the walls and ceiling of the cave. It reminded them of a place that existed four thousand years ago. A certain place where they began bonding. Maybe it was the same place, just changed thanks to thousands of years of eroding and shifts.

Tikal took lead then, pulling on him in a want to go in. He nodded stoically, before following her inside. The many drips of the water from the ceiling, against the rocks on the floor, echoed long and hard into the cave. Bouncing off walls, sounding like piano notes being strung loosely together. When the cave got to dark to see, the hedgehog withdrew his green Emerald, shining a light into the room. She gazed upon his nonchalant face, the image of him bathed in a green light seemed to entice her. She wanted so deeply to talk to him, but the silence between them was so great, she didn't want to break it.

Light suddenly appeared, but not light coming from Shadow's Emerald. Natural light, from the moon. They walked a few more yards, before coming out of the cave on the other end. They stood on the side of this mountain now, gazing out over a sea of forest. The hedgehog was caught off guard, honestly, because he didn't feel moving up in a slope within the cave. Whatever the case may be, they were up here, and the view was breathtaking.

On this mountain side, they could see clear over Angel Island. Though the floating land mass was great, they could see the very edge of it, where the body of water it forever held, poured over, and into the seas that lay beneath. She heard him breathe in and out slowly, and it sent rumbles through her body. Rumbles she enjoyed.

She suddenly got the urge to go somewhere. She pointed down toward the forest, drawing his attention to a temple that stuck out through the green. Sense the silence was too good to destroy, she merely pointed and gestured toward the construct. He smiled a few moments later, showing he gained her call, before his lips melted back into that hardened line. She suddenly felt his arms holding her up, bridal style, the feel of it making her yelp.

The next thing they knew, they were blasting through the forest, wind screaming in their direction. She kept her eyes closed at first, before remembering she couldn't get hurt anymore. She was, technically dead, after all. She gazed up and around to the forest beside them, watching them blur as she and Shadow zipped by. Her quills bounced through the waves of wind, and she watched them dance in the air. Her eyes eventually trekked back up to his face, seeing as he rushed through with that usual indifference of his. Her hand suddenly touched him, making him snap his eyes over to her. He didn't make a face or anything, he just stared at her. And she stared back.

He came to a screeching halt suddenly, the wind that traveled behind them rustling them up. She took her eyes away from him a moment later, and aimed at the temple they stood before. They saw grass and trees growing up the side of the temple. The hedgehog peered down to the priestess in her arms, when she got out of his palms. She, pointlessly, dusted off dirt from her skirt, before taking a few steps to the temples. She stopped suddenly, when she realized he wasn't following.

Her blue eyes trekked up his black and red frame, as she thought about why he wasn't following. He merely stared back, arms crossed, eyesight growing tighter. She knew he wanted to say something, but she wouldn't allow him to. She clamped her hand on his, and gave this sunny smile. And then, she started to lead him into the temple.

The ceiling had long since been destroyed, thanks to years of wear and tear, revealing the silver moon on up high. It brightened up the area they stood in, revealing a place of prayer it seemed. Many objects lied around, but one stood out amongst the rest.

This helmet, with a star imprint on the forehead piece, laid atop this pedestal, with this white cloak wrapped around the very same pedestal. A golden ring lay there, in the helmet's midst, shining bright against the brilliant moonlight. The ring was busted and dented in random areas, looking as if it went through hell.

His eyes were so trained on that ring, he didn't notice it when she let go of hand. The only time he returned to life, was when Tikal slipped into his sight. She pranced around for a bit, before stopping to stand before the helmet and cape. Then her head and body turned, and her hand reached out for him.

"Starman..." she whispered, the first words in a long while.

Her words spurned him, and brought him forward. He came to an abrupt stop at the helmet and cloak, he called his, thousands of years ago. Her hand slithered against his hand after a moment, where they grasped each other softly.

"We paraded you around as a hero, Starman," Tikal whispered, rubbing her head against his arm, "Told stories of you to are children. Calling you a great judge, who hated evil. You have no idea how disheartened I was, when people started to forget about you. Some of the people in the city, couldn't even remember your species. But the tale remained, that was good..." she started chuckling, "Knuckles, you know Knuckles, when no ones around, he puts on your armor, and runs around here like some kind of super hero."

Suddenly, her hand reached forward, and touched the ring. Lifting it up, she broke away from Shadow's grasp, in order to stand before him. And when she did, she looked at him, and bowed.

"I suppose... This is the embodiment of our promise..." she whispered.

She looked up when he grabbed the ring, and held it in his hand. Gazing down to his wrist, he saw the empty spot where the busted ring once sat. He slithered it one, hearing a familiar 'CHINK!' noise once it fastened itself in place. To be honest, he had forgotten all about the ring. His powers didn't fluctuate nearly as insanely, as he thought they would. But once that ring got on, he felt relieved. Stable. And he made this noticeable, by a warm moan that came out. It made her giggle.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing..." she whispered, getting closer, "Nothing at all..."

She once again wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down so their lips could meet. And his gripped her waist, holding her tightly as their lips were locked hard together. These moans and groans escaped them, as tongues tasted each other. But through the kiss, her face got hard, as tears started to pour out. She didn't want it to end though, she wanted this kiss to last forever. She tried her hardest to keep her hold on him, tried her hardest to keep their mouths connected. She didn't even care for the fact that air was escaping her, or the fact that his grip on her was growing too tight. As if he were trying to pull her off. She wanted to stay like this, forever.

"Tikal..." he called, breaking it, to her displeasure.

"No..." she whined, "Please, Shadow..." she looked at him, tears streaming down her astral face, "Please, Shadow, please... I can't take it anymore..." she covered her eyes, while her lips started to tremble, "I've been... alone for too long..." she crouched down, and started so sob uncontrollably, "To... Long..."

His footsteps grew closer to her. All these emotions, had hit her all of once. First anger, then happiness, and now grief. To cry, it was something she so desperately wanted to do now. And at the same time this sadness was in her, fear took her as well. He was here, before her, yes, but so what? She was still connected to the Master Emerald, bound to it, _forever_. She would never leave. Ever.

"Just don't go, Shadow..." she cried, "Just don't go..."

She was waiting for a reply, waiting for anything. And when she didn't get one, she gazed up to him. She saw his ruby face gazing down, where she remembered these words that triggered him before.

Funny, how she remembered these _specific_ words.

"Shadow, I beg of you..." she saw his fiery eyes grow brighter, "Don't leave me again..."

He reached down, and grabbed her hand. She continued frowning from the touch, though she felt her spirits rise.

"I remember..." he whispered, "Someone telling me once, that the Emeralds can bring someone's dreams to light."

She cocked her head at his words. She understood where he was coming from with his words, but they just didn't make any sense. How could they do anything but bestow a being with power?

He suddenly brought her up, and placed his lips near her ear. Where he started whispering.

"The servers are the seven Chaos," he began at first, making her eyes widen, "Chaos is power, power enriched by the heart..." how did he know her family's prayer? When did he ever hear it? "The heart is the controller. The controller serves to unify Chaos..."

"What are you doing Shadow..." she whispered, before biting her lip.

"My dream is for you to be real, Tikal..."

The Master Emerald began shaking.

…

Four thousand years ago.

The sands in the canyon were blowing so powerfully. If any being stood in the midst, they'd probably be pelted by the burning sediment, and sent leaving. But one being remained tall against it, despite the danger it posed to itself. This being, cloaked in a purple garb, moved slowly and silently through the canyon. Its foot steps were loud, as it kicked up sand with each foot it took.

Then it stopped. The beings hand reached from its cloak, as it got down on its knees. Sitting there, half buried by sand, a red echidna head. One of the echidna's eyes were half-open, revealing green orbs as it stared off into the sky. He appeared dead, of course.

The being in the purple cloak reached down, and gripped the echidna's forehead. Pulling up, it showed that the echidna head was just that. A head, no body attached. The blood around this echidna's head seemed to have already dried up. But here was the crazy thing.

He wasn't _dead_.

The cloaked being pulled back its hood, revealing the sight of a Gizoid. The Gizoid cocked its head at the sight of the disembodied head, as its blue eyes shined brighter.

"What did I tell you, Dimitri..." the Gizoid suddenly said, "What did I tell you..."

Fin

* * *

_And there we go. 32 chapters, and over 170k+ words later. Boy oh boy, its been quite a ride. We've laughed, we've cried, and I'm pretty sure we've all 'ooh'd' and 'aww'd' with awesomeness. And what can I say at the end? Seriously, what can I say?_

_I suppose I can start off, the way I always start of these endings. By saying thanks. Thanks to my followers, thanks to my favoriters, and thanks to my reviewers. Thanks to TheDivines, musicalocelot, Random Person, ultimateCCC, GunmetalTheHedgehog, crazyshine, Elegant Solace, Ultra Chaos, ABSOselfRBED, LiveOutLoud143, TheVideoGamer, Kegger98, A11eyCat, and bearvalley3365. If there's anything I love, its reviews. And you guys reviewed more than once. Seriously, I really enjoy it when I get a reviews, it brightens up my day. And this story has so much, more than any story I've ever written. I seriously love it when I get new reviews though, I can't describe it enough. It just gets me going, well that and the will to write!_

_But, most of all, thanks to these two people. First, Lordoftheghostking28. Lordoftheghostking28 is some one who I really need. You, my friend, have no idea how great your notes are when it comes to proofreading my stories. Maybe I should get a beta reader, as you proposed, it sounds like I really need one. That being said, thanks. Your notes are really great, they make my earlier chapters look prettier than they originally did. And last, but certainly not least, I have to thank Kurine. I believe I've already talked about Kurine, so you may be wondering why do it again? Because she's that awesome! For those who don't know (and must have not been reading my Maverick Talks) Kurine drew fan art for my story. I've never had fan art before, so the sight of them spurned me forward. Normally, I look at various pictures while I'm writing. But now, I can look at pictures of my own stories, when I write. That feeling just drives me so, you have no idea. Thanks Kurine, you have made me such a happy man. If you haven't seen them yet, you should go and see. The pictures she has are awesome. And oh yeah, Kurine, I'm waiting for my next one. But seriously though, thanks._

_And now, my friends, my readers, my reviewers, everyone, its time for the last, Maverick Talks!_

_So yeah, this chapter. Originally it was going to be a bonus one, since I was planning on the earlier chapter to be the last one. But of course, things didn't end up that way. I was originally going to give this story a much different, much more bitter ending, but I of course decided against it. Let's be honest, sometimes it's just better to have a happy ending, than a painful one. So, with this ending, I was giving it some ambiguity. Why was the Master Emerald shaking you ask? You decided, though I'm sure we can all come to a sound agreement._

_To be honest, the whole scene with Tikal yelling at Shadow for leaving her, was supposed to come at the end. But when I was writing things, I got kind of carried away. I didn't mean too, but I did, so yeah, it happened way earlier than I originally intended. Oh well._

_The ending as well. When it comes to Dimitri, I felt like I had to do that, like I had to show he was still alive. Why? Well in the comics, Dimitri became Enerjak, and I'm not really sure what it did to him, but it left him a disembodied head. And yet, for some reason, he didn't die. I'm not sure if they brought him back to life or something, but whatever. In the comics, he becomes a robotic head that runs the Dark Legionnaire. In this story, the reason why Dimitri survived Enerjak, was because he's that awesome. Oh yeah, Dimitri survived from awesomeness alone. Originally, it was going to be Lien-Da who found him, revealing that she didn't die from the tornado. But I just enjoy the thought of a random Gizoid finding him, a random Gizoid who may or may not be Finitevus. I'm sorry for the cliffhangers you guys, I just couldn't help myself. Does that mean a sequel, or am I just yanking your chain? We'll see... We'll see... When it comes to me, you're always left guessing._

_Sky Sanctuary was supposed to appear to, as both a battleground for Shadow and Enerjak, as well as a little date spot for Shadow and Tikal. Why didn't it appear, despite my extensive knowledge of Sonic Geography? Honestly, I don't know why I didn't put it here. I think I blacked out for a moment. But lets count all the Zones I spoke of and mentioned! Mystic Ruins, since Cielo Isla is technically what it is, Hydrocity Zone, my personal favorite Zone from Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Red Mountain and Lava Reef were both mentioned by Bicab, Mushroom Hill Zone, Sandoopolis Zone, Marble Garden Zone, and Chrome Gadget Zone. And though I don't believe Glyphic Canyon is apart of Angel Island, it still gets its own mention. And I supposed the G.U.N. Base too. So that's ten, ten zones. You see, I know my Sonic. A bit too well. Hm..._

_So what next hm? I believe I've asked this questions a thousand times in the story you just read. What will happen next? What's up next for these Characters? Will all be okay? Who knows? Me? You? God? Yeah, I'm pretty sure God knows, it is kind of his MO, after all. That being said, I suppose we mortals will just have to wait and see. Keep your head in the clouds, and your feet on the ground._

_And just so ya know, the reason why Knuckles can spin dash, despite not being a hedgehog, and living on an island apart from everyone else, is because of Shadow. He taught Tikal how to spin dash, who taught the others in her tribe, who continued to pass on the ability on and on and on, until Knuckles learned it. You're welcome._

_Now, what will be my final send off? Crap, I had the perfect one to give, but now I can't remember it. Oh yes._

_Remember! The end is not always the end. Sometimes, its just the beginning._

_Maverick Kay Prime_


End file.
